title: Fractures of the peritoneal catheter of cerebrospinal fluid shunts.
abstract: A retrospective study of fractures of peritoneal catheters of ventriculoperitoneal shunts is described. Fracture of the peritoneal catheter accounts for 21.2% of shunt revisions. During the time period of January 1985 through July 1993, 401 PS Medical peritoneal catheters were installed and 23 fractures occurred. The fracture rate of PS Medical small-sized catheters is 15.3%. The fracture rate of PS Medical regular-sized catheters is 2.1%. The overall survival rates of the PS Medical small-sized and regular-sized catheters are significantly statistically different (p < 0.001). The peritoneal catheters fractured most frequently in the neck.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery (Neurosurgery), University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha 68198-7779, USA.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Cuka
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hellbusch
mesh_terms: D002404:Catheterization; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt