1/10/14 What is a shunt? | HydroKids

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Through the HydrocephalusAssociation, we have metmany people going throughthe same challenges thamore...

Did You Know?

Hydrocephalus is acombination of the Greekword hydro which meanswater and cephalus whichmeans head.

what is a shunt?

A shunt is a narrow tube that allows excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that has built-up inside the skull todrain out into another part of the body, such as the heart or abdomen (belly). To drain excess CSF,shunts are inserted into an opening or pouch inside the brain called a ventricle, just above where theblockage is that is preventing the CSF from flowing properly.

Shunts are named according to where they are inserted inthe brain and where they are inserted to let the excessCSF drain out. A ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt drainsinto the abdomen or peritoneum (belly). Most shunts areVP shunts. A ventriculo-pleural shunt drains into thespace surrounding the lung. A ventriculo-atrial (VA) shuntdrains into the atria of the heart.

Shunts are made of soft, flexible plastic tubing that isabout 1/8-inch (3mm) in diameter. The shunt is insertedinto the body by a neurosurgeon during a short andusually simple surgical procedure.

All shunts perform two functions. They allow CSF to flowin only one direction, to where it is meant to drain. Andthey all have valves, which regulate the amount ofpressure inside the skull. When the pressure inside theskull becomes too great the valve opens, lowering thepressure by allowing excess CSF to drain out.

Types of Shunts

There are two main types of shunts:

Fixed pressure shunts have a valve that is pre-set to respond to a specific pressure, such as low,medium, or high. If the pressure requirement changes after surgery, the shunt must be replaced with anew one that matches the new pressure requirement.

Programmable shunts allow the neurosurgeon to set the pressure at which the valve will open, allowingthe shunt to be programmed for the individual needs of each person. If needed, the pressure setting canbe easily changed by the doctor during an office visit.

Parts of a Shunt

A shunt has 4 main parts:

UPPER CATHETER -This is the top-most part of the shunt. It is a small, narrow tube that is inserted into theventricle (a small opening or pouch) inside the brain that contains the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

RESERVOIR - This is where the excess CSF is collected until it drains into the bottom portion of the shunt.The reservoir also lets the doctor remove samples of CSF for testing, and to inject fluid into the shunt totest for flow and to make sure the shunt is working properly.

VALVE - This controls how much CSF is allowed to drain from the brain. The valve can be set to open at aspecific pressure (a fixed pressure valve) or it can be set by the neurosurgeon to meet the individualneeds of the person with hydrocephalus (a programmable valve).

LOWER CATHETER - This is the bottom-most part of the shunt. It is a small, narrow tube that carries theexcess CSF into the part of the body where it will be absorbed, such as into the abdomen (belly) or theheart.

Click to learn about CODMAN products for shunt treatment

Click to learn all about shunt surgery

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