title: Pleural effusion: beta-trace protein in diagnosing ventriculoperitoneal shunt complications.
abstract: Catheter dysfunction is a common complication with ventriculoperitoneal shunts. Apart from infection, obstruction, and leakage, migration of the shunt tip may cause particular problems. Pleural effusion is easily classified as a shunt complication if a transdiaphragmatic migration of a shunt can be demonstrated. If, however, the tip of the shunt is found adjacent to the diaphragm, it is difficult to decide if the effusion is caused by the ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Different diagnostic methods can be used in this situation. Below we report a case of pleural effusion-without shunt migration-which was revealed to be a shunt complication by quantifying beta-trace protein in the effusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology-Pediatric Radiology, University of Bonn. mark.born@ukb.uni
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Born
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reichling
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schirrmeister
mesh_terms: D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D011859:Radiography; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D054834:Lipocalins; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C022466:prostaglandin R2 D-isomerase