title: Are non-functioning intraventricular shunt catheters really dormant?
abstract: A unique case of a child is presented, in which there was formation of a peri-catheter cerebral abscess, a long time after it became non-functional and left after being considered dormant. The inadvertent intra-ventricular spillage of abscess contents, led on to the fatal ventriculitis. This case opens the debate for removing all non-functional catheters and asks for cautious weighing of catheter removal with a remote, but fatal ventriculitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Rahul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohindra
authors.forename: Anil Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dhingra
mesh_terms: D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D004927:Escherichia coli Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects*