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Empyema due to ventriculopleural shunt
G Iosif1, J Fleischman, R Chitkara
1Department of Medicine, Queens Hospital Center Affiliation of Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New York.
Chest
|June 1, 1991
Summary
A rare case of empyema, a serious pleural space infection, developed after a ventriculopleural shunt surgery. This highlights the risk of shunt infections spreading to the chest, a previously unreported complication.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Infectious Diseases
- Thoracic Medicine
Background:
- Ventriculopleural (V-PL) shunts are used to treat hydrocephalus.
- Shunt infections can lead to serious complications.
- Craniotomy is a surgical procedure to access the brain.
Observation:
- A 62-year-old woman developed empyema seven weeks post-craniotomy.
- The patient had an ipsilateral V-PL shunt in place.
- The pleural effusion was presumed to be from a proximal V-PL shunt infection.
Findings:
- This case represents the first reported instance of empyema resulting from a V-PL shunt infection.
- Organisms likely transferred from the shunt to the thoracic cavity, causing infection.
- The timing suggests a delayed complication related to the shunt.
Implications:
- Pleural effusions in patients with V-PL shunts require careful evaluation for infection.
- Early recognition and management of V-PL shunt infections are crucial to prevent empyema.
- This finding expands the spectrum of known complications associated with V-PL shunts.