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Child's Nervous System
Published in: Child's Nervous System 7/2010

01-07-2010 | Case Report

Intracardiac migration of the distal catheter of ventriculoperitoneal shunt: a case report

Authors: Claudio Ruggiero, Pietro Spennato, Danilo De Paulis, Fernando Aliberti, Giuseppe Cinalli

Published in: Child's Nervous System | Issue 7/2010

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Abstract

Introduction

Migration of the distal catheter into the heart is an extremely rare complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt, with only 11 cases reported in literature; in only four of them, there was also the migration into the pulmonary artery. The authors report the case of a young patient with this rare complication that was managed simply converting the ventriculoperitoneal shunt into a ventriculoatrial shunt.

Discussion

The migration of the distal catheter occurred through the internal jugular vein probably as the consequence of direct damage of the vessel during tunneling. Venous flow and negative intrathoracic pressure may have gradually pulled the catheter up into the heart; the upward migration may also be encouraged by the continuous movements of the patient that was agitated in the postoperative period as the consequence of her psychiatric disorder. The authors review the literature regarding migration of distal tubing into the heart and pulmonary artery. Diagnosis and management of this complication is discussed.
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Metadata
Title
Intracardiac migration of the distal catheter of ventriculoperitoneal shunt: a case report
Authors
Claudio Ruggiero
Pietro Spennato
Danilo De Paulis
Fernando Aliberti
Giuseppe Cinalli
Publication date
01-07-2010
Publisher
Springer-Verlag
Published in
Child's Nervous System / Issue 7/2010
Print ISSN: 0256-7040
Electronic ISSN: 1433-0350
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-009-1052-y

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