Ventriculogallbladder Shunt: Percutaneous Transhepatic Placement of the Distal Catheter

Ventriculogallbladder (VGB) shunts are currently placed as a salvage procedure in treatment of hydrocephalus when all other options are exhausted. Although VGB shunts work well when successfully implanted, they are still rarely used because of the technical challenges with the traditional surgical technique.

To implant VGB shunts using a minimally invasive technique that is safer and less technically challenging.

We discussed our utilization of a percutaneous transhepatic approach to placement of the distal catheter into the gallbladder as a new technique that offers a solution to the established but surgically demanding current approach. We presented a complex patient with multiple failed shunts who underwent placement of a VGB shunt.

The shunt was successfully placed and did not incur any complications or require any revisions in 5 yr.

Given the safety and ease of this minimally invasive approach, we believe percutaneous transhepatic approach in VGB shunts should be considered as a reasonable option in patients with complex hydrocephalus.