Recurrent fever in patient in a minimally responsive state: An unusual origin of infection

Embolization of a severed tube of a ventriculo-atrial shunt into the heart is a rare but severe and potentially lethal complication of aresorptive hydrocephalus therapy in patients with severe neurological damage. A rare case is presented of a 53-year-old woman who suffered a severe subarachnoidal haemorrhage. After infection of the first shunting system, the patient underwent an exchange of the system, but repeatedly showed clinical and laboratory signs of infection which failed to improve despite several antibiotic treatments. This case illustrates that, although the patient was in poor neurological and medical condition, it is beneficial to remove the accidentally washed-in foreign body for two reasons. On the one hand to prevent avoidable life-threatening incidents, on the other hand to gain stable medical condition which will allow the patient to participate in neurorehabilitative treatment.