Successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a patient with ventriculoperitoneal shunt: a case report

Abstract

With advances in medical care there is a significant increase in life expectancy of patients with hydrocephalus. Many patients survive and live a meaningful life even after a decade of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement. In this scenario, there are all the chances that these patients may need abdominal surgeries for pathologies unrelated to VP shunt. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most common abdominal surgeries being performed. In patients with VP shunt in situ, before performing laparoscopic cholecystectomy factors such as type of shunt, shunt function, presence of shunt infection and possibility of shunt malfunction needs to be assessed. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a patient with previous VP shunt is not a well answered question. Some authors favor this while the others disagree. With proper anesthetic management and monitoring it is safe to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy in these patients, even though literature gives little information about it. So, this case report is our sincere effort to strengthen the available data and stabilize a ground that can we can safely perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patient with VP shunt.