title: Migration of the abdominal catheter of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt into the mouth: a rare presentation.
abstract: A 1-year-old boy with a history of exomphalos and hydrocephalus had surgeries to correct these pathologies. The ventriculopleural (VP(L)) shunt inserted for hydrocephalus was complicated by pleural effusion, for which a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt was inserted on the contralateral side. He subsequently presented with protrusion of the distal VP shunt tip from the mouth due to perforation through the gastrointestinal tract. The child also had a history of peritonitis post-exomphalos repair, which may have predisposed him to this relatively uncommon shunt complication. Probable causes and risk factors of the perforation are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, National University Hospital, 5 Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore 119074.
authors.forename: Shiong Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Lwin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sein
authors.forename: Tseng Tsai
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chou