Distinct Clinical Phenotypes of Infection and Mechanical Dysfunction in Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Complications
Abstract
Introduction Ventriculoperitoneal shunt complications, particularly infection and mechanical dysfunction, represent major causes of morbidity and revision surgery in patients with hydrocephalus. Objective This study aimed to evaluate our single-center experience with ventriculoperitoneal shunt revisions and to compare shunt infection and mechanical shunt dysfunction in order to identify institution-specific clinical, laboratory, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) characteristics that may facilitate differential diagnosis. Results Among the patients, 140 (35.9%) were diagnosed with ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection, while 250 (64.1%) had mechanical shunt dysfunction. Fever, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell (WBC) levels, reduced CSF glucose, and increased CSF protein levels were significantly more frequent in the infection group (p
Fields of Study & Subjects
Cerebrospinal fluid and hydrocephalus
Spinal Dysraphism and Malformations
Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Cureus
- Publisher
- Springer Science and Business Media LLC
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- e103824–e103824
- Publication date
- 18 February 2026
- Language
- EN