title: Cerebrospinal fluid eosinophilia and sterile shunt malfunction.
abstract: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) eosinophilia is a rare finding most often associated with central nervous system inflammatory processes, including parasitic, bacterial, and mycotic infections. It has also been seen as an allergic phenomenon. We present two cases of CSF eosinophilia occurring concurrently with sterile shunt malfunction. We speculate that CSF eosinophilia in our patients might have resulted from an allergic response to a foreign material such as suture, surgical glove powder, hair, cotton fibers, antibiotics, or silicone rubber. The incidence of sterile CSF eosinophilia after shunting is not known. Information concerning the role of eosinophilia in the development of shunt malfunctions is also lacking. An increased awareness of this possibility and further investigation are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, West Virginia University Medical Center, Morgantown.
authors.forename: V C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Traynelis
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Koss
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Schochet
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kaufman
mesh_terms: D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008591:Meningomyelocele / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D010536:Peritoneovenous Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014640:Vancomycin