A ventricular shunt is a small plastic tube that is surgically placed to drain excess fluid and relieve pressure on the brain. Ventricular shunts are used on children to treat hydrocephalus, a disorder caused by improper brain fluid drainage or absorption from tumors, brain bleeds, and other sources. A recent study suggests that using an ocular ultrasound in the emergency room could help detect children with brain drainage tube failure quickly and safely.
Research presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2024 Meeting in Toronto. A ventricular shunt is a small plastic tube that is surgically placed to drain excess fluid and relieve pressure on the brain. Ventricular shunts are used on children to treat hydrocephalus, a disorder caused by improper brain fluid drainage or absorption from tumors, brain bleeds, and other sources.
According to specialists, within two years following implantation, about 30% of shunts break, become misplaced, or become clogged, and an additional 5% fail annually after that. When a patient visits the emergency department for potential shunt failure, their symptoms are often nonspecific, including headache, vomiting, and fatigue, according to researchers. Shunt failure is life threatening, and children with shunts typically undergo multiple computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans per year, exposing them to excessive radiation and sedation.
A backup of fluid causes the optic nerve sheath to swell, which researchers can measur.
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