Hydrothorax due to migration of ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter

Hong-Ki Kim1, Eui-Kyo Seo, Yong-Jae Cho

  • 1Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Mokdong Hospital, Seoul, Korea.

A cerebrospinal fluid hydrothorax is a very rare complication following ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt and usually reported in children. We report a case of 47-year-old woman who developed massive hydrothorax and respiratory distress following intrathoracic migration of distal shunt catheter. After the confirmation of catheter in thoracic cavity using radionuclide shuntogram, the patient was successfully treated with laparoscopic shunt catheter reposition.

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