• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt

• Overview
• Recovery
• Risks

Alternative Names:

Shunt - ventriculoperitoneal; VP shunt

Risks:

Risks for any anesthesia are:

• Reactions to medications
• Problems breathing

Risks for any surgery are:

• Bleeding
• Infection

Other problems include shunt malfunction or blockage, and infection. If the malfunction occurs because the person grows, the shunt will need to be replaced with a longer catheter. Symptoms of shunt malfunction or infection include headache , fever , drowsiness , and convulsions .

As with any other brain surgery there is risk to brain tissue, because the shunt catheter must pass through brain tissue to enter the ventricle. There is a small risk of brain tissue being damaged, resulting in a neurologic deficit .

• Review Date: 5/3/2007
• Reviewed By: Robert A. Cowles, M.D., Assistant Professor of Surgery, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.