Introduction: The treatment of hydrocephalus accounts for 40% of all procedures in pediatric neurosurgery. Ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement is the treatment of choice for most patients. When contraindicated due to different abdominal complications, the use of a ventriculoatrial shunt is a safe second option. Nevertheless, this procedure is not without risk of complications. An extremely rare complication is the displacement of the distal catheter by a central venous catheter.
Case report: We present two atypical cases of shunt dysfunction related to the placement of a central venous catheter.
Conclusion: After an extensive review of the literature, we believe these are the first cases of this unusual complication in children. Awareness of this complication is essential for its prevention and to ensure safe medical care.
Keywords: Central venous catheter; Hydrocephalus; Pediatrics; Shunt dysfunction; Ventriculoatrial shunt.
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.