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Updated: Apr 20, 2026
Neuronavigation and Laparoscopy Guided Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Insertion for the Treatment of Hydrocephalus
Published on: October 14, 2022
Time to First Shunt Failure in Pediatric Patients over 1 Year Old: A 10-Year Retrospective Study
Insights
Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting shows an 85% survival rate at 6 months and 79% at 2 years in pediatric hydrocephalus patients. This study suggests VP shunting is a viable alternative to endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in older children.
Area of Science:
- Neurosurgery
- Pediatric Neurology
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Contemporary outcomes for ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting in pediatric hydrocephalus are not well-established.
- Previous studies may not reflect current shunt survival rates.
- Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is an alternative treatment for hydrocephalus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the shunt survival rate in a contemporary pediatric cohort.
- To compare VP shunt survival with published ETV success rates.
- To evaluate the infection rate associated with VP shunting in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 95 pediatric patients (1-18 years) undergoing initial VP shunt placement.
- Data collected between January 2001 and December 2010.
- Analysis of shunt survival at 6 months and 2 years, and overall infection rates.
Main Results:
- The initial shunt survival rate was 85% at 6 months and 79% at 2 years.
- The overall infection rate was 3%.
- These outcomes compare favorably with published ETV success and infection rates.
Conclusions:
- Ventriculoperitoneal shunting demonstrates favorable survival and low infection rates in pediatric patients over one year of age.
- VP shunting remains a viable and effective treatment option for hydrocephalus in older children.
- Contemporary VP shunt outcomes support its continued use as an alternative to ETV.
Abstract:
Studies comparing alternatives to ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting for treatment of hydrocephalus have often relied upon data from an earlier era that may not be representative of contemporary shunt survival outcomes. We sought to determine the shunt survival rate of our cohort and compare our results to previously published shunt survival and endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) success rates. We identified 95 patients between 1 and 18 years of age, who underwent initial VP shunt placement between January 2001 and December 2010. Our study shows a shunt survival rate of 85% at 6 months and 79% at 2 years, for initial shunts in pediatric patients over 1 year of age in this cohort. The overall infection rate was 3%. This compares favorably with published success rates of ETV at similar time points as well as with the rate of infection. This suggests that ventricular shunting remains a viable alternative to ETV in the older child.
