-
Neurosurgical Review Apr 2022Ventriculoatrial shunts are the most common second-line procedure for cases in which ventriculoperitoneal shunts are unsuitable. Shunting-associated thrombosis is a... (Review)
Review
Ventriculoatrial shunts are the most common second-line procedure for cases in which ventriculoperitoneal shunts are unsuitable. Shunting-associated thrombosis is a potentially life-threatening complication after ventriculoatrial shunt insertion. The overall prevalence of this complication is still controversial because of substantial differences in the numbers found in studies using clinical data and in those analyzing postmortem findings. The etiology of thrombosis may be multifactorial, including shunt catheter itself, contents of cerebrospinal fluid, shunt infection, and genetic disorder. The clinical presentation can vary widely, ranging from asymptomatic to a life-threatening condition. Timely recognition of thromboembolic lesions is critical for treatment. However, early diagnosis and management is still challenging because of a relatively long asymptomatic latency and lack of clear guideline recommendations. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of ventriculoatrial shunt thrombosis, especially to focus on its etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
Topics: Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; Humans; Hydrocephalus; Thromboembolism; Thrombosis; Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt
PubMed: 34647222
DOI: 10.1007/s10143-021-01656-5 -
Cureus Jul 2022COVID-19 patients frequently experience headaches, malaise, and fatigue. For patients with shunted hydrocephalus, these signs and symptoms can often be indicative of...
INTRODUCTION
COVID-19 patients frequently experience headaches, malaise, and fatigue. For patients with shunted hydrocephalus, these signs and symptoms can often be indicative of shunt failure. Thus, it can be challenging to determine if shunt failure has occurred in this patient population. Therefore, we explored the question of how a diagnosis of COVID-19 in shunted hydrocephalus patients influences the rate of shunt revision.
METHODS
We used a deidentified database network (TriNetX) to gather information on patients with shunted hydrocephalus and COVID-19 versus no COVID-19 from January 20, 2020, through September 26, 2021. Our primary outcome of interest was shunt revision at 90 days, with secondary outcomes of mortality, hospitalization, ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, tracheostomy, PEG tube placement, fall, seizure, acute kidney injury (AKI), venous thromboembolism (VTE), ischemic stroke (I.S.), myocardial infarction (MI), and sepsis. Cohorts were propensity score-matched for common comorbidities and demographics.
RESULTS
After propensity score matching, 10,600 patients with shunted hydrocephalus and COVID-19 (cohort 1) and 10,600 patients with shunted hydrocephalus and no COVID-19 (cohort 2) were identified. Average age was 38.5 years. Eight hundred and thirty-four patients (7.869%) in cohort 1 and 180 (1.698%) patients in cohort 2 underwent shunt revision (p=<0.0001, OR 4.978, 95% CI 4.198, 5.821). Mortality was 4.642% vs. 2.113% (p<0.0001, OR 2.255, 95% CI 1.921, 2.647). Hospitalization rates were 27.72% vs. 10.303% (p<0.0001), and ICU admission rates 11.567% vs. 3.463% (p<0.0001). Ventilator dependence was 3.529% vs. 0.953% (p<0.0001), tracheostomy 1.142% vs. 0.236% (p<0.0001), PEG tube insertion 2.472% vs. 0.585% (p<0.0001), falls 2.321% vs. 1.076% (p<0.0001), seizure 11.369% vs. 5.953% (p<0.0001), AKI 4.416% vs. 1.717% (p<0.0001), VTE 3.538% vs. 1.293% (p<0.0001), sepsis 3.887% vs. 1.179% (p<0.0001), IS 0.585% vs. 0.16% (p<0.0001), and MI 1.34% vs. 0.519% (p<0.0001).
CONCLUSION
COVID-19 infection is associated with an almost five-fold increase in shunt revisions.
PubMed: 35989737
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.27059 -
Cureus Apr 2022Background Debate exists about the safety of ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement in the presence of a gastrostomy tube and the timing of these procedures from each...
Background Debate exists about the safety of ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement in the presence of a gastrostomy tube and the timing of these procedures from each other. Using a large database, we sought to determine the rates of shunt infection and revision in patients who had both devices placed, based on the timing between procedures. Methods We performed a retrospective database analysis using a multi-institutional database (TriNetX), looking at all patients diagnosed with gastrostomy tube with subsequent ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement and vice-versa. We also evaluated patients who had gastrostomy tubes and shunts placed at the same time. We categorized cohorts into patients with device placement after 1-10 days, 11-30 days, and after one month of the other. Our primary endpoints were shunt infection and shunt revision. Results Patients who had same-day gastrostomy tube and shunt placement had a shunt infection rate of 10.06% within five years, and 14.53% had a shunt revision. With prior shunting and subsequent gastrostomy tube placement within 1-10 days, 12.18% had shunt infections, and 17.88% had shunt revisions; for those who had subsequent gastrostomy tube placement within 11-30 days, shunt infections were seen in 10.57%, and shunt revisions in 19.41%; gastrostomy tube placement after one month or longer of shunt placement resulted in 15.39% of patients having shunt infections and 17.73% with shunt revision. Prior gastrostomy tube patients with subsequent shunt placement, within 1-10 days had shunt infection rates of 8.27% and revision rates of 14.39%; for shunt placement within 11-30 days, shunt infections were seen in 10.82%, and shunt revisions were done in 14.33% of patients; for shunt placement after one month or longer, shunt infection rate was 11.68%, and revision rate was 16.80%. Conclusions Our results demonstrate no significant difference in shunt infection rates and shunt revision rates between same-day gastrostomy tube and shunt placement versus placement within 1-10 days, 11-30 days, or any time after one month from one another.
PubMed: 35530882
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.23776 -
Pediatric Neurosurgery 2017Although cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt placement is the most common procedure performed by pediatric neurosurgeons, shunts remain among the most failure-prone... (Review)
Review
Although cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt placement is the most common procedure performed by pediatric neurosurgeons, shunts remain among the most failure-prone life-sustaining medical devices implanted in modern medical practice. This article provides an overview of the mechanisms of CSF shunt failure for the 3 most commonly employed definitive CSF shunts in the practice of pediatric neurosurgery: ventriculoperitoneal, ventriculopleural, and ventriculoatrial. The text has been partitioned into the broad modes of shunt failure: obstruction, infection, mechanical shunt failure, overdrainage, and distal catheter site-specific failures. Clinical management strategies for the various modes of shunt failure are discussed as are research efforts directed towards reducing shunt complication rates. As it is unlikely that CSF shunting will become an obsolete procedure in the foreseeable future, it is incumbent on the pediatric neurosurgery community to maintain focused efforts to improve our understanding of and management strategies for shunt failure and shunt-related morbidity.
Topics: Catheters; Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; Equipment Failure; Humans; Hydrocephalus; Neurosurgeons; Pediatrics; Postoperative Complications; Prostheses and Implants
PubMed: 28249297
DOI: 10.1159/000452840 -
Journal of Clinical and Experimental... Dec 2018Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that occurs in up to 30% of patients with cirrhosis. HE may be a consequence of pure liver failure, as in... (Review)
Review
Hepatic Encephalopathy (HE) is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that occurs in up to 30% of patients with cirrhosis. HE may be a consequence of pure liver failure, as in patients with fulminant hepatitis, or of the combination of liver failure and portal-systemic shunting, as in patients with liver cirrhosis. Several clinical and pathophysiologic observations suggest the importance of portal-systemic shunts in the development of HE. Episodes of HE are usually related to precipitating events, such as infections or gastrointestinal bleeding; a minority of cirrhotic patients experienced a chronic HE, refractory to standard medical treatment. This latter type of HE should be related to spontaneous or radiological (such as Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt (TIPS)) portal systemic shunts, that could be restricted or occluded in patients with chronic HE. Both TIPS reduction and shunt occlusion are radiological procedures, safe and effective to ameliorate neurological symptoms in patients with refractory HE.
PubMed: 30564003
DOI: 10.1016/j.jceh.2018.04.008 -
Critical Care Explorations Nov 2022Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening respiratory injury with multiple physiological sequelae. Shunting of deoxygenated blood through intra-... (Review)
Review
UNLABELLED
Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening respiratory injury with multiple physiological sequelae. Shunting of deoxygenated blood through intra- and extrapulmonary shunts may complicate ARDS management. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to determine the prevalence of sonographically detected shunts, and their association with oxygenation and mortality in patients with ARDS.
DATA SOURCES
Medical literature analysis and retrieval system online, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Cochrane Library, and database of abstracts of reviews of effects databases on March 26, 2021.
STUDY SELECTION
Articles relating to respiratory failure and sonographic shunt detection.
DATA EXTRACTION
Articles were independently screened and extracted in duplicate. Data pertaining to study demographics and shunt detection were compiled for mortality and oxygenation outcomes. Risk of bias was appraised using the Joanna-Briggs Institute and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale tools with evidence rating certainty using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology.
DATA SYNTHESIS
From 4,617 citations, 10 observational studies met eligibility criteria. Sonographic detection of right-to-left shunt was present in 21.8% of patients (range, 14.4-30.0%) among included studies using transthoracic, transesophageal, and transcranial bubble Doppler ultrasonographies. Shunt prevalence may be associated with increased mortality (risk ratio, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.01-1.49; = 0.04, very low certainty evidence) with no difference in oxygenation as measured by Pao:Fio ratio (mean difference, -0.7; 95% CI, -18.6 to 17.2; = 0.94, very low certainty).
CONCLUSIONS
Intra- and extrapulmonary shunts are detected frequently in ARDS with ultrasound techniques. Shunts may increase mortality among patients with ARDS, but its association with oxygenation is uncertain.
PubMed: 36382336
DOI: 10.1097/CCE.0000000000000789 -
Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2023Medical treatment is regarded as the primary course of action in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). Its efficacy, however, is limited, and most patients require... (Review)
Review
Medical treatment is regarded as the primary course of action in patients with Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS). Its efficacy, however, is limited, and most patients require interventional treatment during follow-up. Short-segment stenosis or the occlusion (the so-called web) of hepatic veins or the inferior vena cava are frequent in Asian countries. An angioplasty with or without stent implantation is the treatment of choice to restore hepatic and splanchnic blood flow. The long-segment thrombotic occlusion of hepatic veins, common in Western countries, is more severe and may require a portocaval shunting procedure to relieve hepatic and splanchnic congestion. Since it was first proposed in a publication in 1993, the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has gained more and more attention, and in fact it has been so successful that previously utilized surgical shunts are only used for few patients for whom it does not work. Both interventional treatment options can be performed successfully in about 95% of patients even after the complete obliteration of the hepatic veins. The long-term patency of the TIPS, a considerable problem in its early years, has been improved with PTFE-covered stents. The complication rates of these interventions are low and the survival rate is excellent with five- and ten-year survival rates of 90% and 80%, respectively. Present treatment guidelines recommend a step-up approach indicating interventional treatment after the failure of medical treatment. However, this widely accepted algorithm has several points of contention, and early interventional treatment is proposed instead.
PubMed: 37189559
DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics13081458 -
World Journal of Gastroenterology Nov 2020Congenital vascular anomalies affecting the liver have been described in the scientific literature for decades. Understanding these malformations begins with knowledge... (Review)
Review
Congenital vascular anomalies affecting the liver have been described in the scientific literature for decades. Understanding these malformations begins with knowledge of hepatic vascular embryology. Surgeons have applied numerous classification systems to describe both intrahepatic and extrahepatic shunts, which can confuse the reader and clinician. In our experience, focusing on one classification system for extrahepatic shunts and one for intrahepatic shunts is better. Today many patients with these shunts carry good long-term prognosis thanks to advances in imaging to better detect shunts earlier and classify them. Timely intervention by skilled radiologists and surgeons have also limited complications arising from dynamic shunts and can avoid a liver transplant. Congenital hepatic shunts are not the only vascular condition affecting the liver. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, also known as Osler Weber Rendu syndrome, particularly type 2, may have varying severity of hepatic involvement which warrants longitudinal care from an experienced hepatologist. Lastly, congenital hemangiomas, often first identified on the skin and oral mucosa, also can affect the liver. While most will resolve in infancy and childhood, the pediatric hepatologist must understand how and when to treat persistent lesions and their complications. This article serves as a concise reference to help clinicians better care for patients with these rare conditions.
Topics: Child; Humans; Liver; Liver Transplantation; Portasystemic Shunt, Surgical; Telangiectasia, Hereditary Hemorrhagic
PubMed: 33268948
DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v26.i42.6582 -
Neurologia Medico-chirurgica Sep 2022Treatment for pediatric hydrocephalus aims not only to shrink the enlarged ventricle morphologically but also to create an intracranial environment that provides the... (Review)
Review
Treatment for pediatric hydrocephalus aims not only to shrink the enlarged ventricle morphologically but also to create an intracranial environment that provides the best neurocognitive development and to deal with various treatment-related problems over a long period of time. Although the primary diseases that cause hydrocephalus are diverse, the ventricular peritoneal shunt has been introduced as the standard treatment for several decades. Nevertheless, complications such as shunt infection and shunt malfunction are unavoidable; the prognosis of neurological function is severely affected by such factors, especially in newborns and infants.In recent years, treatment concepts have been attempted to avoid shunting, mainly in the context of pediatric cases. In this review, the current role of neuroendoscopic third ventriculostomy for noncommunicating hydrocephalus is discussed and a new therapeutic concept for post intraventricular hemorrhagic hydrocephalus in preterm infants is documented. To avoid shunt placement and achieve good neurodevelopmental outcomes for pediatric hydrocephalus, treatment modalities must be developed.
Topics: Cerebrospinal Fluid Shunts; Child; Humans; Hydrocephalus; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Neuroendoscopy; Third Ventricle; Treatment Outcome; Ventriculostomy
PubMed: 36031350
DOI: 10.2176/jns-nmc.2022-0100