Distal Catheter Obstruction Research Articles

Falciform technique in laparoscopic revision of distal catheter obstruction: an evaluation

Background: Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting is a cornerstone treatment for hydrocephalus, a condition characterized by the abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. Despite its efficacy, this procedure is associated with various complications, among which distal catheter obstruction poses significant challenges. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the “falciform technique” in laparoscopic revision of distal catheter obstructions, offering a novel approach to mitigate this prevalent issue. Materials and Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 28 patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunt distal catheter obstructions who underwent laparoscopy-assisted shunt revision between January 2016 and June 2022. All of these were done using the “falciform technique” with the fixation of the distal catheter to the falciform ligament in supra-hepatic space. Results: The most common etiology of primary shunt surgery was hydrocephalus, followed by intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) (42.9%) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) (32.1%). Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) occurs in 14.3% of cases. Fifteen patients (53.6%) required revision surgery within 1 year of index surgery. Thirteen patients (46.4%) underwent revision surgery more than one year after the index surgery, either as a first revision or subsequent revision. The average surgery time was 32.1±14.7 minutes and hospital stay was 4.2±1.8 days. After a mean follow-up period of at 20.3±8.7 months, except for 3 patients who died from other causes (2 patients due to pneumonia and 1 due to exhaustion), there were no shunt-related complications in the remaining 25 patients. Conclusion: Laparoscopy with the application of “falciform technique” is a safe and highly effective method in distal catheter obstruction revision following ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

P.140 Illustrated case report: CSF shunt peritoneal catheter obstruction due to omental adhesion and fat stranding

Background: CSF shunt obstruction secondary to omental adhesion alone, without cyst or pseudocyst formation, is rarely reported in the literature. Here we present a case of distal catheter obstruction due to omental wrapping with an atypical presentation of shunt failure. CT imaging demonstrated omental stranding. The shut revision was entirely laparoscopic. The case is supplemented with intraoperative images. Methods: Chart review and literature search. Results: 33-year-old female with right-sided cystoperitoneal shunt for posterior fossa arachinoid cyst who presented to ED with a picture of a surgical abdomen suggestive of acute cholecystitis. Interestingly, this patient had a gallbladder removed a year ago. CT abdomen showed non-specific findings of omental fat stranding around the tip of the catheter. Although this patient had no headache or any neurological symptoms, CT brain was done and showed increase in the cyst size. Diagnostic laparoscopy showed Intraoperative findings suggestive of active omental role in the aetiology of this shunt malfunction. After adequate adhesiolysis, the catheter was noted to be working and dripping CSF and repositioned into the peritoneal cavity. Conclusions: Shunt malfunctions due to omentoperitoneal adhesion is rarely reported but may in fact be under-recognized. This requires high index of suspicion especially in case of equivocal imaging.

Survival and failure trends of cerebrospinal fluid shunts with distal slit valves: comparative study and literature review.

The malfunction rates of and trends in various cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt designs have been widely studied, but one area that has received little attention is the comparison of the peritoneal distal slit valve (DSV) shunt to other conventional valve (CV) type shunts. The literature that does exist comes from older case series that provide only indirect comparisons, and the conclusions are mixed. Here, the authors provide a direct comparison of the overall survival and failure trends of DSV shunts to those of other valve type shunts. Three hundred seventy-two new CSF shunts were placed in pediatric patients at the authors' institution between January 2011 and December 2015. Only ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts were eligible for study inclusion. Ventriculoatrial, lumboperitoneal, cystoperitoneal, subdural-peritoneal, and spinal shunts were all excluded. Rates and patterns of shunt malfunction were compared, and survival curves were generated. Patterns of failure were categorized as proximal failure, distal failure, simultaneous proximal and distal (proximal+distal) failure, removal for infection, externalization for abdominal pseudocyst, and addition of a ventricular catheter for loculated hydrocephalus. A total of 232 VP shunts were included in the final analysis, 115 DSV shunts and 117 CV shunts. There was no difference in the overall failure rate or time to failure between the two groups, and the follow-up period was statistically similar between the groups. The DSV group had a failure rate of 54% and a mean time to failure of 17.8 months. The CV group had a failure rate of 50% (p = 0.50) and a mean time to failure of 18.5 months (p = 0.56). The overall shunt survival curves for these two groups were similar; however, the location of failure was significantly different between the two groups. Shunts with DSVs had proportionately more distal failures than the CV group (34% vs 14%, respectively, p = 0.009). DSV shunts were also found to have proximal+distal catheter occlusions more frequently than CV shunts (23% vs 5%, respectively, p = 0.005). CV shunts were found to have significantly more proximal failures than the DSV shunts (53% vs 27%, p = 0.028). However, the only failure type that carried a statistically significant adjusted hazard ratio in a multivariate analysis was proximal+distal catheter obstruction (CV vs DSV shunt: HR 0.21, 95% CI 0.05-0.81). There appears to be a difference in the location of catheter obstruction leading to the malfunction of shunts with DSVs compared to shunts with CVs; however, overall shunt survival is similar between the two. These failure types are also affected by other factors such etiology of hydrocephalus and endoscope use. The implications of these findings are unclear, and this topic warrants further investigation.

Intermittent entrapment of choroid plexus in ventricular catheter

Abstract Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement remains the primary treatment option for most cases of pediatric hydrocephalus. However, these devices have a relatively high complication with malfunction commonly attributed to proximal catheter occlusion. Factors augmenting shunt malfunction include infection, valve failure, proximal or distal catheter obstruction, distal catheter migration, shunt disconnection. In this case report, we describe the perioperative course of a neonate with communicating hydrocephalus who required a VP shunt, with real time sonographic documentation of the transient occlusion of the ventricular catheter tip by choroid plexus immediately after surgery.

Hidrocefalijos revizinių operacijų priežastys

Darbo tikslasNustatyti pacientų, sergančių hidrocefalija, pakartotinių operacijų dažnį ir priežastis. Įvertinti šunto revizijos poreikio bei vožtuvo gedimo dažnio priklausomybę nuo hidrocefalijos etiologijos, likvoro priešoperacinio slėgio, implantuoto vožtuvo gamintojo bei drenuoto smegenų skilvelio rago.Ligoniai ir metodaiRetrospektyviai išanalizuoti operacijų protokolai bei epikrizės visų 130 pacientų, kuriems nuo 2007 m. vasario 1 d. iki 2014 m. sausio 31 d. VšĮ Respublikinės Vilniaus universitetinės ligoninės (RVUL) Neurochirurgijos skyriuje atlikta 214 ventrikuloperitoneostomijos (VPS) operacijų dėl hidrocefalijos (HC). Rinkti duomenys: HC etiologija, likvoro slėgis prieš operaciją, operacijų skaičius, pakartotinių operacijų priežastys, drenuotas ragas, implantuotas vožtuvas bei nustatytas vožtuvo atsidarymo slėgis. Tarpusavyje lyginant pacientus pagal implantuotus skirtingų gamintojų vožtuvus, HC priežastis ir likvoro slėgį prieš operaciją, ieškota statistiškai patikimų koreliacijų su vožtuvo gedimo ir revizijos poreikio dažniu. Duomenys statistiškai apdoroti SPSS 22.0 programa.RezultataiPasiskirstymas pagal lytį: 49 % vyrų, 51 % moterų. Amžius svyravo nuo 20 iki 83 metų, amžiaus vidurkis 55±15,0 metų. 55 metų amžiaus arba jaunesni buvo 61 (46,9 %) pacientas, vyresni nei 55 metų – 69 (53,1 %) pacientai. Aptariamuoju laikotarpiu atlikta 214 VPS operacijų. Vieną kartą operuoti 84 (64,6 %) pacientai, pakartotinai – 46 (35,4 %) pacientai, kai kurie po keletą kartų. Nustatytos pakartotinės operacijos priežastys – galvinio kateterio užsikimšimas konstatuotas 2,17 % atvejų, vožtuvo gedimas – 30,43 % atvejų, pilvinio kateterio užsikimšimas – 10,87 %, mišrus šunto sistemos blokas – 23,92 %, šunto migracija – 10,87 %, sistemos šalinimas dėl infekcijos – 19,57 %, tiksli priežastis nenustatyta – 2,17 %. Dažniausia pakartotinės operacijos priežastis – vožtuvo gedimas. Tarpusavyje lyginant implantuotų skirtingų gamintojų vožtuvų – „Codman“, „Sophysa“, „Medtronic“ – gedimo dažnį, statistiškai reikšmingo skirtumo nerasta (p>0,05). Taip pat vožtuvo gedimo dažnis nesiskyrė drenavus priekinį ar užpakalinį ragą (p>0,05). Tačiau 55 metų amžiaus ir jaunesniems pacientams šunto revizijos reikėjo dažniau nei vyresniems (p=0,047). Be to, vožtuvas gedo gerokai dažniau, kai likvoro slėgis prieš operaciją buvo žemas, palyginti su vidutiniu (p=0,035) ir aukštu (p=0,036) likvoro slėgiu prieš operaciją. Nustatyta patikima atvirkštinė koreliacija – likvoro takų stenozės atveju vožtuvas genda daug rečiau nei esant kitoms HC priežastims (p=0,012).IšvadosPakartotinės VPS operacijos prireikė 35,4 % pacientų. Dažniausia pakartotinės operacijos priežastis – vožtuvo gedimas. Pacientų amžius pirmosios operacijos metu, HC etiologija, likvoro slėgis prieš operaciją reikšmingai susiję su vožtuvo gedimo dažniu ir revizijos poreikio dažniu. Vožtuvo gedimo dažnis ir šunto revizijos poreikis nepriklauso nuo implantuoto šunto gamintojo ir drenuoto rago.

Preventing Distal Catheter Obstruction in Laparoscopic Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Placement in Adults: The "Falciform Technique".

Distal obstruction of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts is a major problem in the treatment of hydrocephalus. To avoid this complication, we describe a simple method using the falciform ligament to place and hold the distal catheter in the right subdiaphragmatic space, preventing catheter migration and distal obstruction. We retrospectively collected data of all VP shunt insertion and revision for adults with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus between November 2011 and September 2013. All of these were done using the "falciform technique," with the distal catheter portion performed laparoscopically. No exclusion criteria were applied. A neurosurgeon and a laparoscopic surgeon were involved in each case. The falciform ligament was used to tether the distal catheter above the liver, with the distal tip of the catheter reaching the hepatic flexure to allow for drainage directly into the right paracolic gutter. Baseline, operative, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed. In total, 58 patients underwent a shunt procedure during the period of study. The majority (74%) underwent new VP shunt placement, and 26% underwent revision and replacement for catheter obstruction. The female to male ratio was 1.14:1. Mean age was 67.3±17.5 years. Revisions due to distal catheter obstruction were subsequent to previous surgery placement. Median follow-up was 329 days. Three patients (5%) had proximal catheter obstruction requiring shunt revision. None of the patients (0%) was found to have distal obstruction at the end of the study period at the most recent follow-up. The faparoscopic falciform technique significantly reduces the rate of distal VP shunt obstruction in adults with idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus. Continued follow-up is needed to confirm long-term patency of the catheter.

Malfunción valvular intermitente por migración del catéter peritoneal a escroto

Valvular dysfunction secondary to obstruction of proximal catheter is relatively frequent at emergency room. However non-infectius obstruction of distal catheter is exceptional. A 6-year-old boy with dysfunction shunt due to migration of the abdominal catheter into the right scrotum. The patient was operated urgently for peritoneum-vaginal processus closure. Permeability of the peritoneum-vaginal processus (until 60% of boys younger than one year) causes hydrocele in patients with ventricle-peritoneal shunt. However migration of the peritoneal cateter is very infrequent specially in patients older than one year. In the case of this event with increased intracraneal pressure levels and shunt malfunction, emergency closure of the duct should be a priority.

Unusual cause for ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure: Carcinoma breast compressing distal catheter

Insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is one of the most common surgical procedures in any neurosurgery unit worldwide. Distal catheter obstruction outside the peritoneum is a rare cause of shunt failure. We report the first case of distal obstruction in a 70-year old female by carcinoma breast engulfing the catheter and causing kinking. Intraoperatively, the catheter was intratumoral with no flow of cerebrospinal fluid distally. She underwent relocation of a new catheter to the opposite side of the abdomen and modified mastectomy with resolution of the hydrocephalus. The postoperative course has been uneventful.

Distal Catheter Obstruction From Non-infectious Cause in Ventriculo-peritoneal Shunted Children: Arnell K, Olsen L. Eur J Pediatric Surg 2004 (August);14:245-249

Distal Catheter Obstruction From Non-infectious Cause in Ventriculo-peritoneal Shunted Children: Arnell K, Olsen L. Eur J Pediatric Surg 2004 (August);14:245-249

Distal catheter obstruction from non-infectious cause in ventriculo-peritoneal shunted children.

In hydrocephalic children, ventriculo-peritoneal shunting is the preferred treatment with few complications. However, an obviously non-infectious peritoneal reaction to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may occasionally lead to shunt malfunction. In eight hydrocephalic children, shunt malfunction with distal catheter complication was found with abdominal pseudocyst formation in seven cases and accumulation of the CSF in one. All children had a normal CSF cell count and glucose concentration, and white cell count, and C-reactive protein in peripheral blood were normal. No CSF infection could be detected despite prolonged aerobic and anaerobic cultures. After initial externalisation of the shunt and subsequent routine administration of antibiotics because infection initially was suspected, ventriculo-peritoneal shunting was attempted one to three times with identical failure before successful conversion to a ventriculo-atrial system. At laparotomy the peritoneum and intestinal serosa were hyperaemic and oedematous in all patients, five of whom also had pseudocysts and two of whom also had intra-abdominal adhesions. Four children had a revision 6-24 years after the ventriculo-atrial conversion due to short atrial catheter with distal obstruction. In three of them, the distal catheter was successfully replaced into the peritoneal cavity. The fourth child, however, developed an infectious abdominal pseudocyst with adhesions due to a then undetected Propionibacterium acnes infection. After externalisation and antibiotics, a new ventriculo-atrial shunt was inserted. At follow-up between 5 months to nearly 6 years later, the three children with peritoneal catheters did not show any signs of shunt malfunction or abdominal problems. Thus hydrocephalic children may develop shunt malfunction with distal catheter obstruction due to a still unexplained, transient, non-infectious peritoneal reaction leading to abdominal pseudocyst formation or accumulation of CSF. In some children, however, it may later be possible to replace the distal catheter into the peritoneal cavity, if no infection is involved.

Comparison of Total versus Partial Revision of Initial Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Failures

Background: Optimal surgical management of patients presenting with shunt failure in the age of neuroendoscopy remains complex. The value of replacing the entire shunt system as opposed to a single shunt component has not been assessed. Methods: We reviewed the records of all pediatric patients who underwent their first shunt revision between January 1992 and December 1998. Patients with primary shunt failure attributed solely to proximal catheter obstruction or distal catheter obstruction were included for analysis. Shunt revisions were classified as total (entire shunt replaced) or partial (only malfunctioning component replaced). Kaplan-Meier (shunt survival curves) and log rank analysis were used to compare failure rates between partially and totally revised shunts according to the underlying diagnosis and failed shunt part. Significant differences in univariate analysis were confirmed with a multivariate proportional hazards regression model. Results: 301 pediatric patients underwent primary shunt revision (183 total, 118 partial revisions). All shunts utilized distal slit peritoneal catheters. In shunt failures attributed to proximal obstruction, reutilization of the distal catheter was associated with a 57% increased risk of subsequent shunt failure (hazard ratio 1.57, 95% confidence interval 1.19–3.49). In shunt failures attributed to distal obstruction, subsequent shunt survival was not affected by reutilization of the proximal catheter (p = 0.581). When stratified according to the etiology of hydrocephalus, only patients with intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) failed to demonstrate greater survival of totally revised shunts. Conclusions: In this series, in the setting of proximal shunt catheter obstruction, reutilizing the functional distal catheter was associated with an increase in subsequent shunt failure rates compared to revising the entire shunt system. Total revision was not associated with improved shunt survival in patients with IVH.

Intraparenchymal pericatheter cyst. A rare complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt for hydrocephalus

Intraparenchymal pericatheter cyst is rarely reported. Obstruction in the ventriculoperitoneal shunt leads to recurrence of hydrocephalus, signs of raised intracranial pressure and possibly secondary complications. Blockage of the distal catheter can result, unusually, in cerebrospinal fluid oedema and/or intraparenchymal cyst around the ventricular catheter which may produce focal neurological deficit. We report two cases of distal catheter obstruction with formation of cysts causing local mass effect and neurological deficit. Both patients had their shunt system replaced, which led to resolution of the cyst and clinical improvement. One patient had endoscopic exploration of the cyst which confirmed the diagnosis made on imaging studies. Magnetic resonance imaging was more helpful than computed tomography in differentiating between oedema and collection of cystic fluid. Early recognition and treatment of pericatheter cyst in the presence of distal shunt obstruction can lead to complete resolution of symptoms and signs.

Increased risk of distal ventriculoperitoneal shunt obstruction associated with slit valves or distal slits in the peritoneal catheter.

The authors describe a relationship between the presence of distal shunt catheter side-wall slits and distal catheter obstruction in a single-surgeon series of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt revisions. Between 1985 and 1996, 168 operations for VP shunt revision were performed by the senior author (J.W.C.) in 71 patients. Indications for shunt revision included obstruction in 140 operations; overdrainage or underdrainage requiring a change of valve in 17 operations; inadequate length of distal shunt tubing resulting in the distal end no longer reaching the peritoneum in five operations; the ventricular catheter in the wrong ventricle or space, requiring repositioning in five operations; and a disconnected or broken shunt in one operation. Of the 140 instances of shunt obstruction, the blockage occurred at the ventricular end in 108 instances (77.1%), the peritoneal end in 17 (12.1%), the ventricular and the peritoneal end in 14 (10%), and in the valve mechanism (not including distal slit valves) in one (0.8%). Thus, the peritoneal end was obstructed in 31 (22.1%) of 140 cases of shunt malfunction. In every case in which the peritoneal end was obstructed, some form of distal slit was found: either a distal slit valve in an otherwise closed catheter or slits in the side of an open catheter. No instances were found of distal peritoneal catheter obstruction when the peritoneal catheter was a simple open-ended tube with no accompanying side slits (0 of 55). It is concluded that side slits in the distal peritoneal catheters of VP shunts are associated with a greater incidence of distal shunt obstruction.

Implantable insulin pumps: diagnosis and management of decreased flow rates using radionuclide investigation

The aim of this study was to develop a diagnostic procedure for pumping unit malfunction by radionuclide imaging (RI) and to validate the method by comparing the results with those obtained using more conventional methods. Fifteen radionuclide investigations were performed in 11 patients with intraperitoneal implantable insulin pumps. One mCi of 99 mTc in 1 ml isotonic sodium chloride was injected into the reservoir. The results based on catheter visualization and peritoneal accumulation were compared blindly to the efficacy of alkaline rinses and laparoscopic findings. In all RI stoppage cases except one alkaline rinses failed to restore flow. Where laparoscopy was performed, comparisons were concordant i.e. no outflow from the tip of the catheter. The RI images obtained were reproduced in vitro using a pump under normal flow conditions and complete proximal and distal catheter obstruction. RI is a safe, quick non invasive method which allows the location of the site of pump/catheter malfunction within a one step procedure and the prediction of the efficacy of sodium hydroxide rinses.