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| LETTER TO THE EDITOR |
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| Year : 2014 | Volume
: 2
| Issue : 2 | Page : 125-126 |
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Subcutaneous shunt catheter calcification: An uncommon cause of shunt failure
Amit Agrawal, Girijala M Rao
Department of Neurosurgery, Narayna Medical College Hospital, Chinthareddypalem, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India
| Date of Web Publication | 18-Jul-2014 |
Correspondence Address:
Amit Agrawal
Department of Neurosurgery, Narayna Medical College Hospital, Chinthareddypalem, Nellore - 524 003, Andhra Pradesh
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/1658-631X.137014
How to cite this article:
Agrawal A, Rao GM. Subcutaneous shunt catheter calcification: An uncommon cause of shunt failure. Saudi J Med Med Sci 2014;2:125-6 |
How to cite this URL:
Agrawal A, Rao GM. Subcutaneous shunt catheter calcification: An uncommon cause of shunt failure. Saudi J Med Med Sci [serial online] 2014 [cited 2023 Mar 26];2:125-6. Available from: https://www.sjmms.net/text.asp?2014/2/2/125/137014 |
Sir,
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt is a commonly performed neurosurgical procedure for hydrocephalus with well-known complications. [1],[2],[3] A 19-year-old female patient underwent right ventriculoperitoneal shunt at the age of 5 months for non-communicating hydrocephalus. She was apparently alright until 15 days ago, when she had a dull headache and vomiting. No history of trauma or fever. Her general physical and systemic examination was normal. Cranial nerves and higher mental functions were normal. Shunt tube was palpable all along the tract except near to the cranial end. Routine blood investigations were normal. Computed tomography (CT) scan brain showed dilated third and lateral ventricles. Shunt tube was not visualized. X-ray of the chest including neck showed that there was disconnection of the shunt at cervical region and there was extensive calcification along the shunt over the chest and neck region [Figure 1]. A diagnosis of shunt malfunction was made and the shunt was replaced on the left side. The patient did well after surgery.
Usually patients who had shunt malfunction due to abnormal calcification had surgery at an early age and presented years after the initial surgery. [4],[5],[6] Clinically these patients present features of shunt malfunction, i.e., headache, vomiting etc. [4],[5],[6] Dystrophic calcification surrounding the catheter leading to the tethering of the shunt catheter and disconnection is a rare cause of shunt malfunction [4],[5],[6],[7],[8],[9] and patients with metabolic or renal disorders are more prone for dystrophic calcification. [9] As in the present case, there may not be any known disorder of calcium metabolism. [4],[6] Silicone (Silastic) catheters have been used since long for the surgical management of hydrocephalus and are soft and has low incidence of tissue reaction. [10],[11],[12] Degradation of a silicone cerebrospinal fluid shunt system was reported in 1983 [13] and the degradation of shunt system and shunt calcification was recognized in 1988. [5] Various factors have been identified for the abnormal calcification around the shunt tubing. [8],[10],[14],[15],[16] It has been suggested that the variations in the quantity of silica and vulcanizing agent, which are added to medical-grade silicone rubber may be responsible for the soft-tissue reaction. [8],[10],[14],[15],[16] It has also been shown that as a result of hydration the polymers may undergo biodegradation causing splitting of covalent bonds and dissolution and digestion by macrophages leading to abnormal calcification. [8],[10],[14],[15],[16] Most commonly the abnormal calcification involves the shunt catheter in the cervico-thoracic portion of the shunt tube [4],[5],[9] rarely there may be calcification in proximity to ventricular wall. [9] It has been suggested that neck movements' increases tensile stress on the shunt tubing as it passes from the mobile neck to the relatively immobile chest wall causing stress-related degeneration in the cervico-thoracic section of the tubing causing tethering of the shunt tube leading to fracture and disconnection of the tube. [4],[6] Rare involvement of the ventricles may be due to the facts that the brain have fewer mechanical stresses and it is has a relatively poor chemical response against foreign substances. [9]  | Figure 1: X-ray chest with neck showing sleeve of calcifi cation along the shunt tube extending over right lateral aspect of neck and anterior chest wall
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CT will be superior to investigate the calcification in around the ventricular catheter, [9] the calcification around the shut tube can be well-visualized on plain radiographs particularly over the neck and thoracic region. [4],[5],[6],[9] The management of these patients includes the removal of shunt catheter (to avoid further calcification particularly when it is intra-ventricular) and placement of the new shunt catheter. [9]
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[Figure 1]
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