File:Ventriculoperitoneal shunt 01.jpg

Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt

Lodox radiograph showing a ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting is a surgical procedure that commenced in the 1960's to treat hydrocephalus and relieve increased pressure inside the skull due to excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on the brain.

A catheter is placed inside of the brain ventricle, the catheter is then tunneled under the skin from the scalp down into the abdominal cavity, where the other end opens into the peritoneal cavity.

The catheter contains a valve (located in the skin behind the ear) that opens when pressure builds up around the brain.

Complication can include: infections (8-10%), catheter blockage, over-drainage and movement of the catheter.

Links: ICD11 - LA04 Congenital hydrocephalus | Congenital Hydrocephalus

Reference

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S. P. Whiley, et al. Emerg Med Int. 2012;2012:108129. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3517877/

Copyright

© 2012 S. P. Whiley et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Cite this page: Hill, M.A. (2026, April 18) Embryology Ventriculoperitoneal shunt 01.jpg. Retrieved from https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embryology/index.php/File:Ventriculoperitoneal_shunt_01.jpg

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© Dr Mark Hill 2026, UNSW Embryology ISBN: 978 0 7334 2609 4 - UNSW CRICOS Provider Code No. 00098G