The Journal of the Louisiana State Medical Society : official organ of the Louisiana State Medical Society
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Case Reports
Distal ventriculoperitoneal shunt catheter migration to the right ventricle of the heart--a case report.
Ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS) have few complications other than mechanical obstruction and infection. A VPS catheter located in the chest is a rare complication, while intracardiac catheter migration is rarer still. ⋯ Negative inspiratory pressure and orthograde blood flow may then draw the catheter proximally through a vein and eventually to the heart or pulmonary artery. We discuss the mechanisms and management of this rare, yet dangerous, complication of a routine neurosurgical procedure.