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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
Neuronavigation and Laparoscopy Guided Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Insertion for the Treatment of Hydrocephalus
Published on: October 14, 2022
Cholecystectomy in patients with prior ventriculoperitoneal shunts
Emad Allam1, Akshar Patel, Gavin Lewis
1Department of Surgery, Saint Louis University Medical Center, MO 63110-0250, USA.
Background:
There is little published evidence regarding intraoperative and postoperative complications in patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunts who undergo cholecystectomy.
Methods:
Nationwide Department of Veterans Affairs databases were searched to identify patients with International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification codes for a VP shunt who later had a cholecystectomy during fiscal years 1994 to 2003. Charts on these patients were obtained and reviewed.
Results:
Twenty-three patients were deemed evaluable. Of these, 8 had laparoscopic converted to open cholecystectomies. All conversions were owing to dense adhesions. There were 2 cases of postoperative shunt infection that required shunt removal and replacement.
Conclusions:
The rate of conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy was 57% in this study, significantly higher than the reported rate of conversion for patients without shunts in Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (5%). Cholecystectomy in adult patients with a preexisting ventriculoperitoneal shunt appears to result in a shunt infection rate similar to that reported after shunt insertion or revision.
