[The abdominal complications of ventriculoperitoneal diversions]

Abstract

We report several cases of abdominal complications in hydrocephalus children with ventriculoperitoneal shunts implanted by different ethnology, as well as the pathology produced. The number of children affected was 16, although some of them had suffered more than one complication, making up a total of 25 cases. The most frequent trouble was due to the intraperitoneal catheter fall, followed by intestinal perforation at different levels, allowing the catheter to get out through the anus, abdominal wall or surgical incision. Some intestinal occlusive situations was due to either volvulus or external compression caused by cerebrospinal fluid abdominal pseudocysts, secondary to ventriculoperitoneal shunt. We took different characteristics of this group of patients and studied the different complications in relation with specialized reports by international authors.