A Rare Postoperative Complication in a Pediatric Hydrocephalus Case: Migration of the Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Catheter Into the Scrotal Hernia Sac

Abstract

Displacement of the catheter outside the intrabdominal area after ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is an extremely rare complication. In a 4-month-old male patient with a history of VP shunt due to hydrocephalus in the neonatal period, abdominal X-ray showed that the distal end of the shunt catheter was in the scrotum. The catheter tip was reduced to the abdomen via left inguinal herniotomy, and hernia repair was performed with high ligation. Migration of the VP shunt catheter into the scrotal area is a complication that is easy to treat, but has not yet been clarified in terms of prevention. The recognition of this complication and its correction with early surgical intervention are important in terms of preventing possible visceral organ damage and clinical worsening due to shunt obstruction.