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Case Reports
. 2022 Aug 24:81:104351.
doi: 10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104351. eCollection 2022 Sep.

Obstruction of ventriculoperitoneal shunt by air bubble: A case report

Marouane Makhchoune  1 , Michel Triffaux  1 , Triantafyllos Bouras  1 , Xavier Hamoir  2
Affiliations
Case Reports

Obstruction of ventriculoperitoneal shunt by air bubble: A case report

Marouane Makhchoune et al. Ann Med Surg (Lond). .

Abstract

Complications related to Ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement are common, and multiple. Among them blockage and infection. We report a case of 44 years old man admitted to our hospital after an obstruction of his ventriculo-peritoneal shunt by an air bubble that caused behavioral problems and confusion. The patient was operated twice, the last time the puncture point had to be changed. The follow up was marked by a clear clinical improvement. Shunt malfunction continues to be a common neurosurgical problem in patients with shunted hydrocephalus, often leading to frequent and sometimes lengthy hospital stays. This case illustrates the management of this rare situation causing air bubble shunt obstruction.

Keywords: CT SCAN; Case report; Hydrocephalus; Pneumocephalus; Shunt failure.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare having no conflicts of interest for this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
CT SCAN: hydrocephalus with pneumocephalus and pneumoventricle.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
CT SCAN: bublle air in the shunt chamber.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Per operative bublle air in the shunt chamber.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
CT scan revealed the persistence of hydrocephalus and pnemocephalus
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
CT scan revealed the persistence of the air bubble.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Follow op CT scan next day revealed the regression of hydrocephalus.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Control CT scan 1 month later revealed the regression of the bubble air.
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Control CT scan 1 month.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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