Latent abscess formation adjacent to a non-functioning intraventricular catheter.
METHODS
A 16-year-old male patient who had been treated at the age of 13 months with a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt due to obstructive hydrocephalus was presented to our department for a routine follow-up examination. The patient had tolerated well a shunt disconnection in 1990 and the distal part had been removed. Six years later radiological evaluation revealed an intracerebral mass adjacent to the remaining intraventricular catheter. The mass, histologically classified as an abscess, had to be removed 3 years later due to disease progression, although the patient remained asymptomatic.


CONCLUSIONS
This case is of particular interest because it demonstrates the extremely delayed onset and progressive course of a well-known complication of VP shunt systems in an asymptomatic patient. In addition, the reported case raises the question of whether a non-functioning shunt needs to be removed or not.
Vougioukas
Vassilios I
VI
Department of Neurosurgery, Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg, Breisacher Strasse 64, 79106 Freiburg, Germany. vvougio@nz.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
Feuerhake
Friedrich
F
Hubbe
Ulrich
U
Reinacher
Peter
P
Van Velthoven
Vera
V
D000293:Adolescent; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects*