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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Neuronavigation and Laparoscopy Guided Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Insertion for the Treatment of Hydrocephalus
14:59

Neuronavigation and Laparoscopy Guided Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Insertion for the Treatment of Hydrocephalus

Published on: October 14, 2022

Symptomatic vaginal enterocele associated with malfunctioning ventriculoperitoneal shunt and cerebrospinal ascites

Deborah R Karp1, Tazeen Z Rizvi, G Willy Davila

  • 1Section of Urogynecology/Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, 2950 Cleveland Clinic Boulevard, Weston, FL 33331, USA. karpd@ccf.org

International Urogynecology Journal
|April 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Ventriculoperitoneal shunts can rarely cause abdominal pseudocysts in adults. This case highlights a pseudocyst presenting as pelvic organ prolapse, resolved by shunt revision.

Area of Science:

  • Neurosurgery
  • Gastroenterology
  • Urogynecology

Background:

  • Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts are neurosurgical devices used to treat hydrocephalus.
  • Abdominal pseudocysts are a rare complication of VP shunts in adults.
  • Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a common condition affecting women.

Observation:

  • A case is presented of a patient with a VP shunt who developed a large abdominal pseudocyst.
  • The pseudocyst presented unusually as symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse with stage 4 enterocele.
  • The patient's prolapse symptoms worsened as the intra-abdominal cyst enlarged.

Findings:

  • VP shunt malfunction can manifest with abdominal complications, including pseudocyst formation.
  • Abdominal pseudocysts can present with symptoms mimicking pelvic organ prolapse.
  • Conservative management and VP shunt revision/removal resolved the patient's POP and pseudocyst.

Implications:

  • Clinicians should consider VP shunt complications in patients with unexplained abdominal symptoms or POP.
  • Unusual presentations of VP shunt complications require a high index of suspicion.
  • Management of VP shunt-related pseudocysts may involve surgical intervention on the shunt system.

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