Laparoscopic-Assisted Peritoneal Access in Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Placement: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The most common treatment of hydrocephalus is ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting. Peritoneal access is commonly conducted through an open laparotomy, but laparoscopic peritoneal access is gaining popularity. Many studies have reported the benefits of minimally invasive laparoscopic peritoneal access, but there is no consensus on its use. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare open laparotomy vs laparoscopic peritoneal access in VP shunting.

A systematic search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines using 3 databases. Twelve studies included only adults, 3 included only pediatric patients, and 3 included both adults and pediatric patients.

Compared with open laparotomy, laparoscopic peritoneal access was associated with a reduction in distal shunt failure (6.1% vs 2.2%, P = .01), operative time (69.4 vs 56.3 minutes, P < .001), and length of stay (LOS) (9.6 vs 7.3 days, P < .001). There were no differences in proximal shunt failure, total shunt failure, intraoperative complications, or infection rate. In the pediatric population, laparoscopic access was associated with a reduced LOS (7.8 vs 5.9 days, P < .001). Heterogeneity was high but explained by the varying study populations and techniques.

Laparoscopic peritoneal access for VP shunt insertion is associated with improved outcomes, including reduced distal shunt failure, reduced operative time, and reduced hospital LOS, when compared with open laparotomy and should be considered for shunt insertion. Additional studies are necessary to further determine the benefit of laparoscopic access, especially in the pediatric population.