Rare complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt: Catheter protrusion to subcutaneous tissue – Case report

BACKGROUND: Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is a day-to-day procedure performed by a neurosurgeon. The most frequent associated complications are obstructive and infectious. Although rare, there are well-reported complications related to the poor positioning of the distal catheter, with perforation of organs and tissues. Still rarer are the complications related to the migration of this catheter. CASE DESCRIPTION: We describe an atypical case of VP shunt postoperative by normal pressure hydrocephalus. After well-documented proper positioning of the distal catheter into the intraperitoneal cavity, it protruded into the subcutaneous space. Even on a new documented satisfactory abdominal tomography, this catheter migrated back again to the subcutaneous tissue. CONCLUSION: We did not find plausible explanation for this rare event.