A NEW VENTRICULAR CATHETER FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF PROXIMAL OBSTRUCTION IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID SHUNTS

VENTRICULOPERITONEAL SHUNT MALFUNCTION is most commonly caused by obst ruction of the ventricular catheter by choroid plexus. Such ventricula r catheter obstructions remain a major unsolved problem, despite impro vements in materials, catheter design, new valves, and increased empha sis on precise techniques favoring optimal catheter placement. Shunt m alfunction demands elective and often urgent open surgical interventio n to revise the shunt system. Such revisions require a general anesthe tic in addition to the operative procedure and are followed by a minim um hospitalization of 2 to 3 days. Our experience with hundreds of shu nt revisions prompted novel ideas for the development of a new ventric ular catheter to treat or prevent this common and previously unresolve d difficulty effectively.