Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia
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Case Reports
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome leading to ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction: Case report.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) insertion is a common neurosurgical procedure for hydrocephalus. Unfortunately, VPS malfunction is not uncommon, with an estimated cumulative rate of 32% at 5 years. As flow through the shunt is influenced by the pressure gradient between the ventricles and the peritoneal cavity, malfunction may be caused by elevated intra-abdominal pressure. ⋯ OHSS is a potentially life-threatening complication of controlled ovarian stimulation caused by the administration of exogenous gonadotropins. In this patient clinical and radiological resolution of shunt dysfunction were achieved following peritoneocentesis. To our knowledge this is the first described case of OHSS leading to shunt malfunction, emphasizing the importance of awareness, early recognition and proper management of abdominal etiologies of VPS malfunction.