title: Expanding the differential diagnosis of the acute scrotum: ventriculoperitoneal shunt herniation.
abstract: An 18-month-old boy presented to the emergency department after 4 hours of inconsolability and acute scrotal swelling. The physical examination revealed a new scrotal hydrocele with migration of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt into the right hemiscrotum. The presence of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt has been associated with increased patency of the processus vaginalis and scrotal hydroceles. The presentation of an acute scrotum in a child with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt should be recognized as a possible shunt complication. Migration of the shunt through the processus vaginalis is an extremely uncommon event.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, United States Naval Hospital, Okinawa, Japan.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Moquin
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Maurer
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D004630:Emergencies; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D012611:Scrotum; D006848:Testicular Hydrocele / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects*