Cerebral Shunt - Complications

Complications

There are a number of complications associated with shunt placement. Many of these complications occur during childhood and cease once the patient has reached adulthood. Many of the complications seen in patients require immediate shunt revision (the replacement or reprogramming of the already existing shunt). The common symptoms often resemble the new onset of hydrocephalus such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, double-vision, and an alteration of consciousness. Furthermore, the shunt failure rate 2 years after implantation has been estimated to be as high as 50%.