title: Reasons, procedures, and outcomes in ventriculoatrial shunts: A single-center experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ventricular shunts are used to drain cerebrospinal fluid into extra-cranial spaces. Ventriculoatrial (VA) shunts are provided to transfer cerebrospinal fluid from the cerebral ventricle into the right atrium of the heart. A single center experience of indications, procedure, and clinical outcomes in VA shunt was presented in current study.
  
  
  METHODS
  VA shunts were applied in 10 patients who had repeated previous shunt dysfunction or infection. The reasons, clinical findings, replacement methods, and postoperative clinical follow-ups and outcomes were recorded retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were seven female (70%) and three (30%) male patients; their ages ranged from 5 to 13 years (mean ± SD; 8.5 ± 2.6 years). Shunt re-placement reasons were as follows: Shunt occlusion in five patients, intraperitoneal infection in four patients and a distal catheter was kinked and knotted in one patient. Postoperative early complications were seen in one patient as early catheter thrombosis and catheter revision were applied. Late complications were seen in two patients as follows: Catheter infection and infective endocarditis occurred in one patient and pulmonary thrombus occurred in one other patient. There was not any catheter-related mortality observed at the one year follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VA shunts may be an option for cerebrospinal fluid drainage at necessary conditions. However, sterilization and general training on asepsy and antisepsy are the most important determinants affecting the clinical outcome due to the cardio systemic relationship.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Medical School of Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Celal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yavuz
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Demırtas
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Calıskan
authors.forename: Kaan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kamasak
authors.forename: Oguz
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Karahan
authors.forename: Orkut
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Guclu
authors.forename: Suleyman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yazıcı
authors.forename: Binali
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mavıtas
keywords: Infection; outcome; thrombosis; ventriculoatrial shunts