Abdominal Complications of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts in Children

Ventricular peritoneal cerebrospinal fluid shunting has become a common pediatric neurosurgical procedure over the last 40 years. While invaluable for these patients, shunts are prone to complications, especially in children. Abdominal complications are often secondary to infection and its complications, and may be difficult to recognize in these medically complex children. Imaging is often required, but the findings may be subtle and require an appreciation of the spectrum of possible abnormalities. This article reviews the imaging findings present with abdominal shunt complications.