ABDOMINAL CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID PSEUDOCYSTS

Abdominal cerebrospinal fluid pseudocyst is an infrequent complication of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts. We reviewed ten patients with ab dominal pseudocyst. There were five girls and five boys, aged between 4 months and 14 years. The number of shunt procedures prior to the pre sentation varied between one and five. Only one patient had had a prev ious shunt infection. No patients had undergone prior abdominal surger y other than VP shunting. The time from the last shunting procedure to the development of abdominal pseudocyst ranged from 3 weeks to 5 year s. Presenting symptoms and signs Were mainly related to abdominal comp laints in all patients. Three patients also had the signs of shunt mal function, The diagnosis was made by ultrasound in all patients, Shunt infection was determined in six patients. Repositioning of the periton eal catheter seemed to have a higher rate of recurrence. The diagnosis of abdominal pseudocyst should be considered in VP-shunted patients p resenting with abdominal complaints.