is a VP shunt removal possible?

[taylord123]

I am a 14 boy, i received my VP shunt a little over a year ago,. it has affected my life in good and bad ways. I received it for PsuedoTumor Cerebri. I received 3 spinal taps prior to the shunt's placement. Yes, it has majorly helped my PTC, but it has limited me so much. I used to play football, and after a year off due to my surgery, the question has come up, shall i play again? The doctor who did the surgery, said he didnt see any problems with playing, except, all of the other doctors i have had all said no, except a few questionables.

on a side note, me and my friends all joke around about the "tube"/

I really really want to play football again, and i really just want this thing out of my head, the doctors all say a VP shunt can not be removed, but i believe there is still hope for me.

2 questions,
   1. after only about a year and a month or so, can a VP shunt be removed?
    2. If they can not remove the shunt, can i play football?
    

I may be young, but ive been through enough to know a lot about my "System(?)"
any help would be much appreciated.

thanks.

[pampam36]

Yes it can be removed mine was put in in 1984 and removed in 1997: my name is pamela hildebrandt

[Serinaberina]

Hi!! I Have  had my shunt for 15 years I am 30 now and was diagnosed and shunted at 15 for severe hydrocephalus.  I Have never had any problems with it. I had immediate relief from the severe hydrocephalus symptoms and grew into a very normal adult. When they first put it in and the ventricles shrunk they could see past the hydrocephalus they found a small tumor which appeared to be blocking my ventricles from draining normally. It was not operable and they weren't worried about it. I used to get it checked every year when I was younger and it never changed in size. Recently I have been having extreme pain in the shunt area. It is tender and I have a constant headache radiating from shunt area. It took me awhile to get referrals and everything for MRI and nuerosurgeon because I have  been so healthy I kind of forgot about it.  I had the MRI and my scan was normal with. I hydrocephalus and the tumor that was there seems to be gone. Today I saw a nuerosurgeon and he put a needle in the shunt to see if he could get any fluid out to see if the shunt is working. He was unable to get any so we are thinking my brain is just functioning normally on its own and shunt has been non working for some time. I haven't gotten a clear answer for why I'm suddenly in so much pain around shunt area. He said he can remove the shunt and then we'll see if the hydrocephalus returns and put in a new one. I'm just so nervous, if I wasn't in pain I would just leave it alone. I'm worried if I'm potentially setting myself up for multiple surgeries. Any experience with late onset of pain in VP shunt area?? What was the removal surgery/recovery like?

[deannaswan]

I had a "shunt flow"  test where they inserted a needle to determine if it was working and the shunt got infected, got meningitis, had shunt removed and spent 3 weeks in hospital. My shunt had been there since 1965 so it had pretty much calcified and the shunt removal caused a hematoma on my brain that went away on its own.

[Cruela78]

Hello from Bulgaria? Do you know how many times it takes to ventricular became normal? What is the reason of your hydrocephalus?

[hatagin]

My daughter had hers in when she was 5 months old and now she is 8. We are getting a surgery to remove her shunt that is disconnected. Surgeons said they will remove shunt from her pelvis (when it got disconnected it went down to her pelvis) with laparoscopic  surgery and neurosurgeon will remove the valve from her skull if its not stuck to skull badly. So it is possible to get it removed. But the skull part might not be able to depending on how bad it got molded with skull. The only way they will know is after they open that area.

[CoolMom35]

Hi, I understad how you feel. I have had over 100 surgeries with my vp shunt. They can't take mine out. I will die without mine. I wish you the very best with yours. God Bless!

[gfdhgck]

I would believe that it would need to be a medical necessity to be able to even think of removing a shunt.  I've been told that my child never can have his removed.  That doesn't mean that they can't do it on others.  Just remember the risks of your medical condition compared to the shunt.  In some cases, a shunt saves lives.  Best to. you

[Ms_Dee_Dee]

You need to have him get an MRI  that tells more than a Cat Scan. If there is something wrong with his VP Shunt, it will be seen.  Headaches are number one thing that happens when there is a malfunction. The doctors told me, normally you need to revise every 10 years, my son had his 16 years before he had headaches, then a seizure and had a revision.

[deannaswan]

I had a shunt removed successfully in 1994 after contracting meningitis from bacteria being introduced via shunt flow test, which determined it was  not functional.  I had many revisions when little but have had no problems since removal.

[Cruela78]

Hello! How many years have you got the shunt? My little son had e meningitis from bacteria at 1 months old and they put him shunt. I want to kniw is it possible to become shunt independent, because hydrocephalus is the result of meningitis, he does not born with hydrocephalus

[deannaswan]

I have not had any complications

[deannaswan]

I have not had any complications
The shunt was put in at 10 weeks old. Two revisions. I had it removed when I was 28 years old.

[Cruela78]

I am from Bulgaria, sorry for my English. Did you become shunt independent earlier or after 28 years? I think that ventriculars of my son will be normal after -3-4 years or not? Thank you very much for your answer

[Cruela78]

I am from Bulgaria, sorry for my English. Did you become shunt independent earlier or after 28 years? I think that ventriculars of my son will be normal after -3-4 years or not? Thank you very much for your answer

[Zubi22]

Hi
what do you mean by "disconnected" this disconnection was done surgically or it happened by itself, please do reply as my daughter is also having VP shunt and I want to know whether her shunt is working or not. Thanks

[murad_hafiz]

I am from Bangladesh.
On 25 November 2013 I became a father of a baby girl after 2 days on 27th the doctor said my daughter need to be VT Shunting immediately and the put a shunt on my daughter on 30th. Till I had no idea what the VP shunt is! From then I am surfing on internet looking for the answer when will my darling daughter move around free without the catheter under her skin. I don't want to believe that my daughter have to wear the catheter rest of her life.

[rreg]

I also have a shunt due to meningitis when i was only 9 months. I am soon to be 29 in a few months. I have dealt with bulllies as a kid and  people just curious to why I have a scar on my head. I  grew my hair out to cover the scar, however am proud to know I survived and am happy to tell my story. I didn't let it stop me from living and I am very athletic. I played basketball, track, football, volleyball etc all through high school. I have bumped my head a few times and am fine. The doctors also told me that my body has adjusted well and the shunt is not working no more. I was told however that it may cause more trouble than good  to remove it seeing that I have had it for so long and that tissues probably have grown around it. I am still going to inquire some more and have some scans done but if I can't remove it, am happy. I have lived healthy this long, and I rather live many more years with it than a miserable life without

[redhead1964]

Yes they can be removed. Depending on your situation you may need a shunt but there are alot of options now. I have PTC as well. I was diagnosed 3 years ago. I was shunted first because my ear doc had performed a myringotomy for fluid in my ears. It turned out to be leaking CSF. My Neurosurgeon put in a shunt to take the pressure off and devert the fluid. It was a programable shunt. It worked pretty good for a few months. Then it stopped working and he put a new one in as well as a second valuve for shutting this enterily down when i drained too much. Well then that one didnt quite drain enough. This past year a new programable valve came out to treat kids going through chemotherapy. My neurosurgeon said he thought it would work great for me becasue it has ten settings including a virutal off setting which allows it to come on by itself when my pressure rises. This seems to have done the trick. Yes it has taken me 3 years to really get in great shape but it sure beats the alternative. Do not give up and make your doctor think outside of the box for other options. Good luck everyone....

[Prettytessa020214]

My husband has a vp shunt since he was 8 years old and I was surprised reading the messages here that they had it revisioned. My husband told me that eversince he had the operation, he never had it revisioned. Now he is experiencing unexplainable headaches, pounding his head on the right side. His doctor told him to take pain killer like mefenamic acid or paracetamol but I know it's not just like that. This is the first time he experienced such aterrible headache, so painful that he does not even want to move. Can you please let me know any suggestioms that we need to do? Thank you so much.

[taylord123]

See, I've been working out a lot over the past 2 years, and I've slowly transformed my body from the chubby 14 year old I was when I wrote this. but now that I'm skinnier, I've been working on toning up my abs, and I'm just curious how its going to look around the incision in my stomach.
and how does it work around larger pec muscles?

[taylord123]

Whoa, I can't believe I posted this 4 years ago... I actually forgot entirely about this. I've kind of come to accept my shunt for what it is, I mean there isn't much I can do about it. I was looking into Endoscopic Third Ventriloscomy.
Well, life goes on.

[hopeful31394]

My daughter has had a adjustable vp shunt for 6 years. 2 revisions in the last 9 months. Does anyone know of neurological group  with more than  one doctor/surgeon that actively works on quality of life issues?

Her doctor now, is supposedly the best in Nor cal but does surgery so much that he has no time to address quality of life. We see him after the emergency room.  Not ideal.

I would move anywhere in the country to be near cutting edge doctors who also address quality of life?
Anyone with suggestions please post!

[EmiliLonneberga]

Dear Galeton,

There might be something wrong with the shunt itself. A removal may not be the right choice. Maybe it needs adjustment or a complete exchange. Please read my earlier posts above, there's 2 of them. Please read about the Japanese doctor Takahashi and the other links. I cannot give you an answer to why she is feeling like she does. However, having read many articles on shunts, some children seem to grow out of the need for a shunt as they get older. I live in Europe, and I guess you're in the U.S.A? You need to find a good neurosurgeon to discuss these matters with and you need to be well prepared when you go there.
What one neurosurgeon told me, is that a removal of a shunt does not cause that many scars.
I hope this link is helpful:
http://health.usnews.com/top-doctors/directory/best-neurosurgeons
Write a good list to clarify the symptoms, see my comment above for details. I really hope your child gets better and please, do not give up!!!! Be persistent, and if it takes 10 or even 20 or more doctors to get the assistance you need, do not stop asking!

I hope my answer helped you to some degree.

[galeton]

who and where is the ns? my 28 month has had severe complication due to a vp shunt and can not find ns that will even discuss removal we want it out- now! she has continued for 2 years being over shunted.

[EmiliLonneberga]

There is absolutely no reason for you to have low self-esteem because of your shunt. There are professors at the University Hospitals that have been shunted themselves. So you can still be an intelligent person and receive a good education. Many people who have been teased reach far in life. There have been douzens of people who have made it to the top in Hollywood and other areas despite this. Many geniouses and succesful businessmen have been late bloomers.

If you feel pain you should consult your neurologist. There are neurologists spezialized in these issues at University Hospitals. If you have a catheter in your stomach it can cause problems and you need to discuss this with the neurologist. Are there other symptoms? Always write down your questions before you visit your doctor and be well prepaired. Think over what symptoms you have and when they occur. Where and when. Is there anything that increases or decreases the pain. For how long have you been having these symtoms etc. Was there anything that made the symtoms start etc. You taking these matters seriously and writing them down also indicates for the doctor that you yourself take your problems truly seriously and that you have analyzed your situation.

If the shunt does not cause you problems you should not have it removed. There is always a risk with surgery. If you can have it removed or not I cannot answer. Discuss it with your neurologist. They might have to look at CT and MRI to evaluate this. If you have a medical history at a University Hospital with a neurologist that you feel confident with, discuss these matters with him/her!

I hope my answer helped you to some degree.

[tj3207]

My name is terrence and i have had the vp shunt since i was about 2 and i'm 20 now and all my life i've been teased talked about and ridiculed about the shunt and that kind of lowered my self esteem. I always wanted to know if the shunt can be removed, i just want to live a normal life. Also i've been feeling a sharp pain in my stomach where the shunt is if anyone knows what it means please let me know

[EmiliLonneberga]

I have searched the internet for years on this subject.
Search for the Japanese doctor Takahashi on the internet and interesting articles come up.
Here are some of the best links so far:

Shunt Removal – Is it ever worth the risks?

http://www.e-flanc.net/biblioteca/Shunt%20Removal%20-%20Is%20It%20Ever%20Worth%20the%20Risks.pdf

http://www.diaceph.com/PowerPointFiles/Shunt Technology Perspectives.Aschoff.etal.ppt

http://content.karger.com/produktedb/produkte.asp?typ=fulltext&file=000321921

http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/freeabs_all.jsp?arnumber=4649268

Please post good links when you find them!

[Jaywill12]

I had put mine in at 2 months old. At 17 my brother and I were wrestling and he snapped it around where my appendix is. I asked to remove it and all they could get out was the pump. They said if I wanted it all removed they would have to cut all the way down but I didn't want that big of a scar.

[bhashi77]

i'm a sri lankan mother.  i have a daughter. now she is 5years old.  she had a vp shunt.  shunt putting when she 02 months. but not any one replace yet.
i want to know that can be the remove

[bhashi77]

i'm a sri lankan mother.  i have a daughter. now she is 5years old.  she had a vp shunt.  shunt putting when she 02 months. but not any one replace yet.
i want to know that can be the remove

[Dscomp]

My son had his shunt placed in 1997 when he was 2.  He is 16 now and wants it out. We just went to the NS and asked to have it removed. My son has never had a shunt revision or any issues with it.  So the NS said yes he would take it out in a 2 step process. He would tie it off and wait and watch for a couple weeks and then we could schedule an appointment and have the whole thing removed.   I am concerned that he might have to go back in and have it put back in, but since he is 16 I am letting him make the choice.  His dx back in 1997 was pilcytic   Astrocytoma in his brain stem.

[roosterb1967]

I have had a shunt since I was only 9 and I am now 43. I had it implanted shortly after having surgery in 1977 to remove a Pilocytic Astrocytoma that was in my brain stem. It was found to be inoperable so radiation treatments were started soon after. I've never had any revisions made and it remained functional for many years. Many years later after I began working it started to effect my attendance; I was having headaches almost daily that were bad enough to keep me home in bed. A portion of the tube was removed from my neck to release tension that was created from my growing to 6'-1" and packing on over 100 lbs of muscle from lifting weights. But until that point it really did not effect my childhood too much, I was told by more than one neurosurgeon they would not remove the remainder of it for fear or infection. I empathize with those of you dealing with this issue, but all will be OK. I came to the conclusion I'd rather keep it than go through another brain surgery.