CAN A VP SHUNT CAUSE NASTAGMUS

[VPSHUNT]

I recently 21 months ago had branistem surgery and received a vp shunt 3 weeks later. They never did any test on me other than a young kid looking in my eye and the next day put a shunt in without really telling me. Now I have developed nastagmus and can't walk. Am having gait problems as well as vision problems. Are they supposed to do testing on you. The surgery does bring extra csf fluid and now I am getting slight headaches. I have no problems with hdroceplis since the shunt. Can this thing becausing problems?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Suggest you wander over to one of the neurology-neurosurgery forums.

JCH MD

[VPSHUNT]

All my MRI's were fine till after surgery.They took out a dranige tube early after surgery cause it was always falling out. I had some bleeding after surgery at the site of the surgery which mixed with my csf fluid and my eye doc discovered it. They rushed me into surgery quick only looking benid my eye to see fluid. I was only out of brain surgery 3 weeks. My nero recently dialed a codeman shunt down to 10 from 11. It has a range from 0 to 20. Now I am dizzerier and my vision is getting bad. I have nastagmus in left eye - horizontal type. I really think they rushed into this shunt and should have did a drain before that,

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Brainstem surgery is among the most delicate and difficult done on the human body. It is much more likely that the condition that necessitated the surgery is what is causing your problems. Remember a VP shunt is put in to relieve danger pressure within the brain that without lowering can cause blindness and death.

Discuss with your treatment team.

JCH MD