Percutaneous placement of the peripheral catheter to the subclavian vein for a VA shunt

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Pediatric Neurology
• Medical Devices

Background:

• Hydrocephalus is a prevalent neurosurgical condition impacting all age groups, particularly children.
• Ventriculo-peritoneal shunts are the standard treatment, but shunt failure is common due to hydrocephalus being a lifelong condition.

Observation:

• A 4-year-old child experienced multiple ventriculo-peritoneal shunt revisions.
• The patient presented with ventriculo-atrial failure attributed to distal catheter malfunction.

Findings:

• The distal catheter malfunction was successfully treated with percutaneous placement of the peripheral catheter into the subclavian vein.
• This intervention restored cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion.

Implications:

• Percutaneous subclavian vein catheterization offers a viable alternative for managing complex shunt failures in pediatric hydrocephalus.
• This technique may reduce the need for extensive open surgeries in select cases.