Ascites in ventriculoperitoneal shunt.
OBJECTIVE
To fetch out the factors responsible for ascites, following shunt CSF diversion in cases of intracarnial lesions. Four children developing ascites/abdominal psuedocyst following ventriculoperitoneal shunt were analyzed to see the factors responsible for such complication.


METHODS
Records of 4 cases developing ascites were studied retrospectively. These children developed ascites at 8 months, 6 months, 1 year and 1 year 2 months interval following their shunt installation.


RESULTS
The primary etiology of hydrocephalus was demonstrated as thalamic glioblastoma, choroid plexus papillomas of third ventricle, post tubercular meningitis hydrocephalus and suprasellar craniopharyngioma.


CONCLUSIONS
The proposed etiology of ascites in these cases was peritoneal metastasis from thalamic glioblastoma through ventriculoperitoneal shunt in first case, excessive production of CSF by choroid plexus papilloma in second, infection in the third case and craniopharyngioma causing excessive production of CSF in the fourth child. All the children were treated by reasonable laparotomy and fenestration of cyst along with the repositioning of shunt tip at another site.
Kumar
Raj
R
Department of Neurosurgery, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences & King George's Medical College, Lucknow, U.P. India. rajkumar@sgpgi.ac.in
Sahay
Surbhi
S
Gaur
Bandana
B
Singh
Vinita
V
D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects*