Huge Lateral Rectus Solitary Plasmacytoma Causing Shunt Extrusion

A 54-year-old man with a history of radiotherapy for right maxillary sinus plasmacytoma 3 years previously was referred to an orbital clinic with progressive proptosis in his right eye. His vision had deteriorated after an initial improvement after phacoemulsification 2 years before. He had undergone shunt implantation and later shunt removal following plate extrusion with the diagnosis of neovascular glaucoma following CRVO. His vision remained at no light perception afterwards, despite a controlled IOP with topical medications. In his CT scan, a large orbital mass was seen with lateral rectus involvement. He underwent deep orbitotomy for tumor resection following worsening of symptoms, and his symptoms were improved afterwards. Pathology report was consistent with plasmacytoma with anaplastic features. After tumor resection, he underwent another course of radiotherapy with complete remission of symptoms afterwards.

Distant large acute epidural hematoma after closed cerebrospinal fluid tapping through the anterior fontanelle: A case report and its pathogenesis

Background: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) infection is one of the most common and serious complications of shunt placement. The CSF shunt infections are preferably treated with intravenous antibiotics, infected shunt removal, repeated tapping (infants) or placement of an external ventricular drainage (EVD) device, and placement of a new shunt once the CSF is sterile. The tapping through the anterior fontanelle is commonly used instead of the EVD in developing countries to manage CSF infection in open anterior fontanelle patients. To the best of our knowledge, this would be considered the first reported case of distant epidural hematoma after closed ventricular tapping. Case Description: We report a case of 6-months child with Chiari malformation (Type II) presenting to us with a shunt infection with possible obstruction. CSF was aspirated for examination through a tap through the anterior fontanelle followed by the development of extradural hemorrhage far from the tapping site. Conclusion: EDH after a transfontanellar ventricular tap can rapidly evolve and lead to patient death. This report raises the awareness of the neurosurgeons to this possible complication that can happen and leads to major complications. Monitoring the conscious level would be needed after ventricular tapping to detect this possible complication.

Shunt infection and malfunction in patients with myelomeningocele

OBJECTIVEMyelomeningocele (MMC) is frequently complicated by symptomatic hydrocephalus, necessitating early permanent CSF diversion and revision surgeries. Shunt infections are a common cause of shunt malfunction. This study aims to characterize long-term shunt-related outcomes of patients undergoing MMC closure.METHODSA total of 170 patients undergoing MMC closure between the years of 1995 and 2017 were identified from a retrospective review of a prospectively populated surgical database at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Patients who underwent MMC closure and required ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt insertion met criteria and were included in the primary study analysis. Analysis with a Fisher exact test was performed for categorical variables, and Mann-Whitney U-tests were utilized for numerical data.RESULTSOf the 158 total patients undergoing MMC closure and meeting inclusion criteria, 137 (87%) required VP shunt insertion. These 137 patients demonstrated a shunt revision rate of 21.1% per person-year and a shunt infection rate of 2.1% per person-year over a mean follow-up of 10.8 years. Patients had a mean of 3.4 ± 0.6 shunt surgeries prior to their first infection. Patients undergoing immediate shunt removal, external ventricular drain placement, or shunt replacement after clearing the infection had lower rates of subsequent infections than patients who initially were managed with shunt externalization (p < 0.001). Placement of a shunt at the time of MMC closure was not found to be a risk factor for infection. Of patients with initial shunt placement after the implementation of the Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network protocol in 2011, the authors’ institution has had a shunt infection rate of 4.2% per person-year and a revision rate of 35.7% per person-year.CONCLUSIONSThis study describes long-term outcomes of shunted MMC patients and factors associated with shunt infections. Most patients underwent multiple revisions prior to the first shunt infection. Shunt externalization may be ineffective at clearing the infection and should be avoided in favor of early shunt removal and external ventricular drainage, followed by shunt replacement once infection is demonstrated to have cleared.

Minimally invasive procedure for removal of infected ventriculoatrial shunts

Background Ventriculoatrial shunts were one of the most common treatments of hydrocephalus in pediatric and adult patients up to about 40 years ago. Thereafter, due to the widespread recognition of the severe cardiac and renal complications associated with ventriculoatrial shunts, they are almost exclusively implanted when other techniques fail. However, late infection or atrial thrombi of previously implanted shunts require removal of the atrial catheter several decades after implantation. Techniques derived from management of central venous access catheters can avoid cardiothoracic surgery in such instances. Methods We retrospectively investigated all the patients requiring removal of a VA shunt for complications treated in the last 5 years in our institution. Results We identified two patients that were implanted 28 and 40 years earlier. Both developed endocarditis with a large atrial thrombus and were successfully treated endovascularly. The successful percutaneous removal was achieved by applying, for the first time in this setting, the endoluminal dilation technique as proposed by Hong. After ventriculoatrial shunt removal and its substitution with an external drainage, both patients where successfully weaned from the need for a shunt and their infection resolved. Conclusion Patients carrying a ventriculoatrial shunt are now rarely seen and awareness of long-term ventriculoatrial shunt complications is decreasing. However, these complications must be recognized and treated by shunt removal. Endovascular techniques are appropriate even in the presence of overt endocarditis, atrial thrombi, and tight adherence to the endocardial wall. Moreover, weaning from shunt dependence is possible even decades after shunting.

Prepontine Shunting for Pseudotumor Cerebri in Previously Failed Shunt Patients: A 5-Year Analysis

BACKGROUND Shunting procedures have a high failure rate when used to treat pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) patients who have failed medical therapy. This failure is believed to be attributable to the collapsibility of the ventricular system when exposed to increased differential pressure gradients in the cerebral spinal fluid compartments caused by ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS). OBJECTIVE To investigate whether prepontine/interpeduncular cistern shunting may be a reasonable alternative to VPS intervention in PTC patients with history of shunt failure. There have been no large series of cisternal-peritoneal shunt (CPS) patients in the PTC population. METHODS A retrospective review of 49 patients with placement of CPS for PTC with 2 failed prior shunting procedures was performed. Shunt survivability was based on shunt patency and resolution of ophthalmologic symptoms and cranial nerve deficits. All patients were followed for a minimum of 3 yr with serial ophthalmologic and neurosurgical evaluations. RESULTS At 3 yr, 44 of the 49 (88.9%) patients had working CPS. Three patients in this group had infections requiring complete shunt removal. Excluding infections, 44 of 46 (95.5%) shunts were functional at 3 yr. There were 3 small, asymptomatic hemorrhages that did not increase patient length of stay, and there were no catastrophic hemorrhages or strokes. There were also no abdominal complications related to shunt placement. CONCLUSION CPS is a viable alternative to VPS in PTC patients who have failed traditional shunting methods to give these patients a persistent benefit of a working shunt. The procedure provides this solution with low operative and perioperative morbidity.

Suprahepatic space as an alternative site for distal catheter insertion in pseudocyst-associated ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction

OBJECTIVEDistal catheter malfunction due to pseudocyst formation or intraabdominal adhesion is a significant problem, especially in pediatric patients who have limited sites for distal catheter insertion. In this study, the authors present a series of 12 patients with intractable distal shunt malfunctions due to peritoneal pseudocyst formation who underwent distal catheter replacement in the suprahepatic space to reduce the risk of distal catheter malfunction.METHODSTwelve consecutive patients with shunt malfunction due to pseudocyst formation who had undergone ventriculosuprahepatic shunting from 2014 to 2019 were identified. According to medical records, after primary evaluations, shunt removal, and antibiotic therapy, they underwent revision surgeries with placement of a distal catheter into the suprahepatic space.RESULTSNine boys and 3 girls, ranging in age from 5 months to 14 years, with one or more episodes of pseudocyst formation, underwent shunt revision with placement of a distal catheter into the suprahepatic space. After a median follow-up of 31 months, none of the patients experienced further distal malfunction.CONCLUSIONSThe suprahepatic space appears to be a safe place to secure the distal end of a ventricular catheter following pseudocyst formation, with less risk of re-adhesion. This lower risk might be attributable to the lack of omentum in the suprahepatic space.

Management of sterile abdominal pseudocysts related to ventriculoperitoneal shunts

OBJECTIVEThere are many known complications associated with CSF shunts. One of the more rare ones is a sterile abdominal pseudocyst due to decreased peritoneal absorption. This study was undertaken to detail the presentation, evaluation, and management of this unusual shunt-related event.METHODSPatients presenting with ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS)–related sterile abdominal pseudocysts treated at two institutions between 2013 and 2018 were included. Patients who had undergone abdominal surgery or shunt revisions within a 12-month period preceding presentation were excluded. Information was collected regarding clinical characteristics; hospital course, including surgical intervention(s); and any subsequent complications. Special attention was given to the eventual surgery after pseudocyst resolution, including the use of laparoscopy for peritoneal catheter placement, distal shunt conversion (i.e., in the atrium or pleural cavity), endoscopic third ventriculostomy, or shunt removal. The timing and nature of any subsequent shunt failures were also noted.RESULTSTwenty-eight patients met the study criteria, with a mean age of 10 years. The most common etiology of hydrocephalus was intraventricular hemorrhage of prematurity. All shunts were externalized at presentation. One shunt was removed without subsequent internalization. Distal catheters were re-internalized back into the peritoneal cavity in 11 patients (laparoscopy was used in 8 cases). Fourteen shunts were converted to a ventriculoatrial shunt (VAS), and two to a ventriculopleural (VPlS). Two VPSs failed due to a recurrent pseudocyst. The total all-cause failure rates at 1 year were as follows: 18% for VPSs and 50% for VASs.CONCLUSIONSFollowing treatment of a VPS-related sterile abdominal pseudocyst, laparoscopy-assisted placement of the distal catheter in the peritoneum is a viable and safe option for select patients, compared to a VAS or VPlS.

Isolated superior petrosal sinus dural arteriovenous fistula treated with selective sinus packing using a quadriaxial catheter system

A 67-year-old patient presented with a headache, vertigo and nausea, followed by a disturbance of consciousness. CT and MRI showed venous ectasia at the left cerebellopontine angle and extensive oedema in the left cerebellum. Angiography demonstrated a dural arteriovenous fistula that appeared at the left superior petrosal sinus–cavernous sinus) junction. After the evaluation of the shunt point, occluded areas were recanalised via the femoral vein with a quadriaxial catheter system using a 6-Fr guiding sheath, 6-Fr guiding catheter, 4.2-Fr catheter and microcatheter. Selective coil embolisation was performed, resulting in shunt removal.