title: Delayed external ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection.
abstract: Infection is a common complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement. About 10% of shunt infections are found more than one year after operation. We recently treated two children with what appears to be a unique manifestation of late shunt infection: chronic, draining sinuses along the course of the shunt tubing. Neither child had a shunt malfunction or a CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) infection. The infections were external and responded to removal of the infected shunt system. These cases are described, and delayed and external shunt infections are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Kentucky Chandler Medical School, Department of Surgery, Lexington, KY 40536-0298, USA. rdowen0@uky.edu
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Owen
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pittman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020878:Device Removal; D004322:Drainage; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents