Are non-functioning intraventricular shunt catheters really dormant?

Abstract

A unique case of a child is presented, in which there was formation of a peri-catheter cerebral abscess, a long time after it became non-functional and left after being considered dormant. The inadvertent intra-ventricular spillage of abscess contents, led on to the fatal ventriculitis.

This case opens the debate for removing all non-functional catheters and asks for cautious weighing of catheter removal with a remote, but fatal ventriculitis.

Key words:

• Ventricular catheter
• brain abscess
• ventriculitis