Neurosarcoid infiltration of the ventricular catheter causing shunt failure: a case report.
BACKGROUND
Neurosarcoid is known to develop in 5% of patients with sarcoidosis. A frequent manifestation of this condition is hydrocephalus, which will often require treatment with a ventricular shunt.


METHODS
Presented here is the case of a patient whose initial manifestation of neurosarcoidosis was hydrocephalus, and who then represented with multiple shunt failures.


RESULTS
On two revisions, the proximal catheter, after removal, was found to be occluded with noncaseating granulomatous material that had infiltrated the shunt lumen.


CONCLUSIONS
Although shunts may become occluded by inspissated proteinaceous or cellular debris, the occlusion of a shunt catheter by the ingrowth of the noncaseating granulomatous material of neurosarcoid has not been described before. This patient's course, the histopathologic findings, and neurosarcoidosis in general are discussed here.
Maniker
A H
AH
University of Medicine, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, USA.
Cho
E S
ES
Schulder
M
M
D000328:Adult; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt