Introduction
Yesterday I was working on a blog for my Facebook hydrocephalus support group and one of the group admins (adminstrators) to write a blog discussing the different types of shunts -- here it is. Let's start by looking at the different types of shunts, their pathway, their inflow location, and their drainage location.
Shunt pathway Type inflow location Outflow location
Ventriculo-peritoneal VP Ventricle (brain) Peritoneal cavity
Ventriculo-atrial VA Ventricle (brain) Right atrium of the heart
Ventriculo-pleural VPL Ventricle (brain) Pleural cavity
Lumbo-peritoneal LP Lumbar spine Peritoneal cavity
Now that I have probably confused you, let me see if I can make the "Inflow location" and "outflow location" make sense. The inflow catheter of the shunt system (also referred to as the proximal end) is the location where the Cerebropspinal fluid (CSF) is introduced into the shunt system. The outflow catheter of the shunt system (also referred to as the distal end) is the location that the CSF empties into to be reabsorbed by the body.
How does a shunt system work?
Also known as a "CSF diversion device", shunts have been used for 68 years (the first one was successfully implanted in 1949) to divert CSF from the ventricles within either the brain or subarachnoid space(s) to another part of the body where it can be reabsorbed. Implantation of a shunt creates an alternate pathway for the CSF which is constantly produced within the brain and usually (italics added for emphasis) restores the balance between CSF production, flow, and absorption when one (or more) of these functions becomes impaired. There are valves within the shunt's pathway that act as "on-off switches" when the Differential pressure (DP) - the pressure difference across the valve - exceeds the valve's opening pressure.
My sources:
Hydrocephalus Association (shunt fact sheet)
Neuropathology: an illustrative interactive course
Yesterday I was working on a blog for my Facebook hydrocephalus support group and one of the group admins (adminstrators) to write a blog discussing the different types of shunts -- here it is. Let's start by looking at the different types of shunts, their pathway, their inflow location, and their drainage location.
Shunt pathway Type inflow location Outflow location
Ventriculo-peritoneal VP Ventricle (brain) Peritoneal cavity
Ventriculo-atrial VA Ventricle (brain) Right atrium of the heart
Ventriculo-pleural VPL Ventricle (brain) Pleural cavity
Lumbo-peritoneal LP Lumbar spine Peritoneal cavity
Now that I have probably confused you, let me see if I can make the "Inflow location" and "outflow location" make sense. The inflow catheter of the shunt system (also referred to as the proximal end) is the location where the Cerebropspinal fluid (CSF) is introduced into the shunt system. The outflow catheter of the shunt system (also referred to as the distal end) is the location that the CSF empties into to be reabsorbed by the body.
How does a shunt system work?
My sources:
Hydrocephalus Association (shunt fact sheet)
Neuropathology: an illustrative interactive course
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