Endovascular intervention for repositioning the distal catheter of ventriculo-atrial shunt

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Vascular Surgery
• Pediatric Surgery

Background:

• Distal ventriculo-atrial (VA) shunt displacement is a recognized complication.
• Misplacement into the internal jugular vein is a potential risk, particularly without intraoperative monitoring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a case of distal VA shunt catheter misplacement into the internal jugular vein.
• To highlight the utility of endovascular intervention for managing such complications.

Main Methods:

• A patient requiring a VA shunt due to ventriculo-peritoneal shunt failure underwent the procedure.
• Post-operative imaging revealed distal catheter misplacement in the left internal jugular vein.
• Endovascular retrieval of the misplaced catheter via the femoral vein was performed.

Main Results:

• The distal catheter of the VA shunt was successfully retrieved using endovascular techniques.
• This approach avoided the need for open surgical revision.

Conclusions:

• Misplacement of distal VA shunt catheters, including into the internal jugular vein, is a significant concern.
• Endovascular retrieval offers a minimally invasive and effective solution for managing misplaced VA shunt catheters.