Recurrent pneumonia caused by transdiaphragmatic erosion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt into the lung. Case report.
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this report represents the first description of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt that migrated into the chest cavity where it caused recurrent pneumonias. This 15-year-old boy with a history of hydrocephalus treated with VP shunt therapy as an infant presented with a 2-year history of chronic coughing and recurrent pneumonia. A high-resolution chest computed tomography scan revealed a right lower lobe infiltration and evidence of migration of the peritoneal shunt tubing through the diaphragm into the lung parenchyma. The catheter was pulled back into the peritoneal cavity via a simple abdominal incision. The patient's long-term outcome was excellent, and there was complete cessation of the pneumonia.
Sahin
Soner
S
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison 53792, USA.
Shaaban
Aimen F
AF
Iskandar
Bermans J
BJ
D000293:Adolescent; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000293:injuries*; D005548:Foreign-Body Migration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000628:therapy; D008168:Lung; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation*