Ventriculoatrial and ventriculopleural shunts as second-line surgical treatment have equivalent revision, infection, and survival rates in paediatric hydrocephalus

Are ventriculopleural shunts the second option for treating hydrocephalus? A meta-analysis of 543 patients

BACKGROUND

Some centers utilize ventriculopleural shunt (VPLS) for treating hydrocephalus when conventional approaches are not feasible. Nonetheless, the literature regarding this approach is scarce.

PURPOSE

Evaluate the outcomes of VPLS through a single-arm meta-analysis.

METHODS

Following PRISMA guidelines, the authors systematically searched for articles utilizing the VPLS in a cohort with more than four patients. Outcomes included: mortality, pleural effusion, number of patients who underwent revisions, obstructions, shunt migration, emphysema, and subdural hematoma.

RESULTS

A total of 404 articles were reviewed, resulting in the inclusion of 13 retrospective studies encompassing 543 patients, with the majority being children (62.6 %). The median average follow-up period was 35.4 months (10-64.1). After analysis, results yielded a revision rate of 54 % (95 % CI: 44 %-64 %; I2=73 %). The most common complication observed was pleural effusion, with a post-analysis incidence of 16 % (95 % CI: 11 %-21 %; I2=63 %), followed by infections at 7 % (95 % CI: 4 %-10 %; I2=33 %). Shunt obstruction occurred in 13 % (95 % CI: 4 %-21 %; I2=84 %) of cases after analysis, while migrations, overdrainage, subdural hematoma, and cutaneous emphysema had minimal occurrence rates (0 %, 95 % CI: 0 %-1 %; I2=0 %). Notably, there were no reported cases of shunt-related mortality.

CONCLUSION

VPLS can be considered when there are no other suitable options for placing the distal catheter. However, the notable rates of shunt revisions, pleural effusion, infections, and the inherent heterogeneity of outcomes currently limit the widespread adoption of VPLS. In this scenario, other alternatives should be given priority.

Analysis of non-ventriculoperitoneal shunts at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital

BACKGROUND

At Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital (RCCH), it is the preferred practice to use non-ventriculoperitoneal (non-VP) shunts when the peritoneum is ineffective or contraindicated for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion and when endoscopy is not an option. The objective of this study is to evaluate the clinical course of patients having undergone these procedures.

METHOD

A single-centre retrospective review at RCCH wherein 43 children with a total of 59 episodes of non-VP shunt placement over a 12-year period were identified for inclusion.

RESULTS

Twenty-five ventriculoatrial (VA) and 32 ventriculopleural (VPL) shunts were analysed with a median age at insertion of 2.9 (0.3-14.9) and 5.3 years (0.5-13.4), respectively. The median number of previous shunt procedures prior to VA or VPL shunt insertion was 6.0 (2-28) versus 4.5 (2-17), respectively. Three VA (12.0%) and three VPL (9.4%) shunt patients were lost to follow-up. Of those remaining, 10 VA shunts (45.5%) compared to 19 (65,5%) VPL shunts required revision. One ventriculovesical shunt and one ventriculocholecystic shunt were placed in the same patient after 21 and 25 shunt-related procedures, respectively, and both were revised within 3 weeks of insertion. Median shunt survival was 8 months longer for the VA compared to the VPL shunts, being 13.5 (0-67) and 5 months (0-118), respectively. Complications for VA shunts were low, with the overall shunt sepsis rate in the VA group at 4% (n = 1) compared to 15.6% (n = 5) in the VPL group.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support that VA and VPL shunts are acceptable second-line options in an already compromised group of patients where safe treatment options are limited, provided attention is paid to the technical details specific to their placement.

The Long-Term Patency of the Internal Jugular Vein and the Common Facial Vein as Entrance Sites for Venous Access in Ventriculoatrial Shunts: A Comparative Analysis from a Single-Center Study

OBJECTIVE

The ventriculoatrial (VA) shunt is a surgical intervention used to manage hydrocephalus, although it is less often utilized compared to the ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt or endoscopic third ventriculostomy. Placement of the distal catheter typically involves the utilization of either the common facial vein (CFV) or the internal jugular vein (IJV), 2 frequently employed options for venous access. This study aims to determine whether there is a statistically significant difference between the long-term patency (2 years) of the distal end of the VA shunt of these 2 options.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted of patients who received VA shunt surgeries with the employment of the CFV or IJV as access veins at Rajavithi Hospital in Thailand between January 2015 and December 2020. The analysis focused on long-term patency and potential complications.

RESULTS

The study comprised a total of 42 participants. Twenty-six (61.9%) individuals underwent ventriculoatrial (VA) shunt surgery via the CFV, while the other 16 (38.1%) underwent the same procedure using the IJV. Neither of the 2 groups required shunt revision due to distal catheter malfunction. Most cases exhibited no significant complications apart from a single instance of shunt system infection.

CONCLUSIONS

In VA shunt surgery, both the CFV and IJV can be used as venous access sites for the right atrium because there is no discernible difference between their complications or long-term patency. Anatomical considerations, patient-specific characteristics, and the surgeon's preference should all be considered when choosing the venous access location for the placement of a VA shunt.

Incidence and nature of complications associated with ventriculoatrial shunt placement: A systematic review and single-arm meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Ventriculoatrial shunt (VAS) is considered the second option for treating hydrocephalus, but there remains a lack of robust evidence regarding its complications profile.

PURPOSE

Evaluate the complications associated with VAS.

METHODS

Adhering to PRISMA guidelines, the authors searched Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science databases to identify articles reporting on the complications of VAS. Eligible articles were required to report whether complications occurred in a cohort of at least four patients. The extraction process focused on various outcome measures, including overall complications, pulmonary complications, cardiac complications, mortality, shunt revisions, glomerulonephritis, intracranial hemorrhage, and hygroma. Complications were defined as any adverse events related to the procedure, including revisions.

RESULTS

After retrieving a total of 2828 articles, 53 studies met the predefined criteria, involving 2862 patients. The overall complication rate was estimated at 33 % (95 % CI: 25-42 %), while the long-term complications rate was found to be 49 % (95 % CI: 32-67 %). Among the pediatric population, the complication rate was calculated to be 53 % (95 % CI: 39-68 %). The overall revision rate was estimated at 32 % (95 % CI: 23-41 %), with an infection rate of 5 % (95 % CI: 3-7 %). Notably, in the pediatric group, the infection rate was 10 % (95 % CI: 6-13 %). The random analysis indicated an estimated risk of 0 % for glomerulonephritis, intracranial hemorrhage, hygroma, cardiac complications, pulmonary complications, and shunt-related mortality.

CONCLUSION

VAS is a safe alternative when ventriculoperitoneal shunting is not feasible. Risk of classic severe complications is minimal. Nevertheless, caution is required when shunting critical patients. Further randomized studies are warranted to establish the ideal shunt for different patients.

Mortality and complications 1 year after treatment of hydrocephalus with endoscopic third ventriculostomy and ventriculoperitoneal shunt in children at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Malawi

BACKGROUND

Over the past two decades, the management of hydrocephalus has witnessed the addition of endoscopic third ventriculostomy with or without choroid plexus cauterization (ETV ± CPC) to the traditional methods including ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion (VPSI). We conducted this study to assess mortality and complications with surgical implications associated with the two procedures in children with hydrocephalus.

METHODS

We reviewed our operating theater registry to identify children below 17 years old who underwent hydrocephalus surgery for the first time in 2016. The patients were followed for up to 1 year from the date of the initial operation. Their vital status was confirmed by follow-up visits by a community nurse. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the characteristics of the patients and evaluate the study outcomes (i.e., mortality and complications).

RESULTS

One hundred fifty-three patients were eligible for the study; 56% were males and 73.2% had primary ETV ± CPC. Complete 1-year follow-up data was available for 79 patients, and 73.4% of these had ETV ± CPC. One-year success (event-free) rates for ETV and VPSI were similar at 67.4% and 66.7%, respectively. ETVs in infants under 6 months performed poorly; failing in half the infants, who were subsequently converted to VPS. Shunt sepsis was very high, 21.4% (95% CI 10.3-36.8). The majority of surgical complications (81.8%) occurred within 3 months of surgery.

CONCLUSION

ETV ± CPC and VPSI carry a similar frequency of mortality and complications in our setting, and therefore, both should be considered as a treatment option for patients with hydrocephalus. As VP shunt is still used for managing most of the patients, there is still a need to prioritize measures to reduce shunt infections.

Thrombosis associated with ventriculoatrial shunts

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.