Visual loss as the manifesting symptom of ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction.
OBJECTIVE
To treat a 30-year-old man with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt who had progressive visual loss.


METHODS
The patient underwent computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging scans and ocular examination.


RESULTS
He was diagnosed with ventriculoperitoneal shunt failure despite the lack of ventriculomegaly on computed tomographic scan of the head and the lack of papilledema. The patient eventually underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt revision, but visual function did not improve.


CONCLUSIONS
Loss of visual acuity or visual field, or both, may be the initial and only symptom of ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction. Shunt failure may occur without other features of increased intracranial pressure or ventriculomegaly on neuroimaging studies.
Lee
A G
AG
Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. alee@bcm.tmc.edu
D000328:Adult; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012086:Reoperation; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014794:Visual Fields