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A cerebral shunt is a device permanently implanted inside the head and body to drain excess fluid away from the brain. They are commonly used to treat hydrocephalus, the swelling of the brain due to excess buildup of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
The treatment of choice in NPH is ventriculoperitoneal shunt surgery (VPS). This treatment needs a VP shunt, which is a catheter with a valve aiming at implementing a one-way outflow of the excessive amount of CSF from the ventricles. It is obligatory to have patency control because of some possible complications such as infections and obstruction.
All patients are reviewed for contraindications prior to MRI scanning. Medical devices and implants are categorized as MR Safe, MR Conditional or MR Unsafe: [6] MR-Safe – The device or implant is completely non-magnetic, non-electrically conductive, and non-RF reactive, eliminating all of the primary potential threats during an MRI procedure.
VP shunt is less likely to be recommended in those who have severe dementia at time of NPH diagnosis, regardless of findings found on MRI or CT. [10] [28] Gait symptoms improve in ≥ 85% patients. Cognitive symptoms improve in up to 80% of patients when surgery is performed early in the disease course.
Resistance to traditional analgesic pharmacological therapy may also be a sign of shunt overdrainage or failure. [49] Following placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt there have been cases of a decrease in post-surgery hearing. It is presumed that the cochlea aqueduct is responsible for the decrease in hearing thresholds.
The symptoms of shunt failure are non-specific – headache, nausea, lethargy – so diagnostic tests must be conducted to rule in or rule out surgery. Current methods of diagnosing shunt malfunction, including CT Scan, MRI, radionuclide studies and shunt tap, have limitations and risks.
An external ventricular drain (EVD), also known as a ventriculostomy or extraventricular drain, is a device used in neurosurgery to treat hydrocephalus and relieve elevated intracranial pressure when the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) inside the brain is obstructed.
The revision of a shunt means to replace or make adjustments to all or part of the shunt, this also means that the location of the shunt may be changed therefore changing the category or type of shunt a patient has. For some patients with shunts, a revision or multiple revisions to the shunt may be required. This can be something minor, such as ...