Safety of Laparoscopy in Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Patients

There has been an increasing trend in Laparoscopic surgeries. There is also a higher incidence of patients with ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts due to the advances in the techniques of cerebral shunts. Surgeons may come across patients of VP shunts presenting with an indication for laparoscopic surgery. Although there is no absolute contraindication for laparoscopy in VP shunts, there is always a risk of raised intracranial pressure. We describe a case of VP shunt presenting with an ectopic pregnancy and undergoing laparoscopic salpingectomy. Patient withstood the procedure well and had an uneventful recovery. Reviewing the literature, we found that laparoscopy is safe in VP shunts. However, there should always be accompanied by good monitoring facilities.