Prevalence and characteristics of shunt malfunction without ventricular size change at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of shunt malfunction without change in ventricle size in imaging modalities, and its clinical presentation. METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, from June 2015 to May 2019. Patient’s demographics, clinical presentation and changes in ventricle size were collected. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 23. RESULTS: The study included 42 patients who underwent shunt revision. Imaging showed no change in size in 10 (24%) patients, mild enlargement in 8 (19%), and obvious enlargement in 24 (57%). The mean age of diagnosis was 22±16.7. 55% of the patients were males, 45% females. The cause of the malfunction was ventricular catheter occlusion in 14 (34%) patients, 10 (24%) patients had valve-related malfunction, and peritoneal catheter occlusion was present in 6 (14%) patients, and 12 (28%) patients had a combination of the previously mentioned causes. Analysis of the association between ventricular size and headache, vomiting, seizure, confusion, and loss of consciousness in patients with unchanged ventricular size and those with increased ventricular size has shown no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Shunt malfunction without ventricular size change was observed in 24% of all shunt malfunction patients. In addition, there was no relationship between ventricular size and patient symptoms.