title: Percutaneous placement of ventriculoatrial shunts in the pediatric population.
abstract: The percutaneous placement of ventriculoatrial (VA) shunts has been previously described, usually in adults. We report a series of 7 pediatric cases ranging from 6 to 17 years. Five patients were female and 2 were male. All patients had prior ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts for hydrocephalus, of which 1 had been subsequently converted to a ventriculopleural shunt. Indications for conversion to a VA shunt were intra-abdominal infection in 6 cases and chronic pleuritic chest pain in 1 patient. The venous entry was the subclavian vein in all cases. All patients have remained asymptomatic since the operation. There were no complications associated with the procedures, with follow-up ranging from 2 to 12 months. This technique is a viable alternative to the open cervical approach for venous entry to the right atrium in the pediatric population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Wash., USA.
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Britz
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Avellino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schaller
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Loeser
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002557:Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts / Q000379:methods*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male