Shunt and Tube

[jmw1975]

I'm 32.  The tube at the end of my shunt has swelled.  I'm curious if anyone can tell me why this is.  I had a shunt revision in '99 and have had no problems since.

Thanks.

[jmw1975]

It's a VP Shunt.  I've had 3 tube extensions and in '99 I had complete shunt revision.  The previous shunt was rotten and calcified, and in pieces, but my neurosurgeon said that he was amazed it lasted as long as it did.  The first shunt was sort of a prototype that the surgeon had designed for his daughter.  Anyway, that's my neruological history in a nutshell.  Can you tell me anything about a sack that formed at the end of the tube?  When I was about eight years old, I had surgery and that was the problem.

Thank you.

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hi.

Can you please specify which shunt we are dealing with ? There could be an increased pressure leading to the swelling. A valve problem may also be there. But it is important to know the type of the shunt.

Regards

DrAbhijeetMD