Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Shunts to treat hydrocephalus and cysts in six dogs
By Lehner, László et al.·Published in Acta veterinaria Hungarica·2020·1FeliCaVet Veterinary Referrals Clinic and Hospital·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Two different indications of ventriculoperitoneal and cystoperitoneal shunting in six dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 5-year-old mixed breed dog was treated for severe congenital hydrocephalus, a condition where fluid builds up in the brain, causing pressure. The dog underwent a ventriculoperitoneal shunt procedure, which helps drain excess fluid. After surgery, the dog showed significant improvement within a month, but unfortunately, there were complications that led to the dog's death a week later. The study suggests that for severe cases like this, using higher-pressure valve systems may help prevent serious complications.
People also search for: dog hydrocephalus treatment · ventriculoperitoneal shunt for dogs · dog brain surgery complications
Abstract
In this study we described two different indications of ventriculo- and cystoperitoneal shunting (VPS, CPS) procedures in six dogs, including their clinical data and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations. One dog had moderate and two dogs had severe congenital hydrocephalus, one was presented with intracranial pressure elevation due to meningoencephalitis of unknown origin (MUO) associated with congenital hydrocephalus, and two with quadrigeminal cysts (QC). VPS procedures were done in four and CPS in two dogs, using low-pressure valve systems. The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 6 months and control MRI scans were also made. Significant improvement was detected in five cases during the short-term follow-up period (1 month) and in four cases in the medium-term follow-up (2-6 months). Major complications were found in two cases: one dog with acute-hypertensive hydrocephalus died one week after surgery, and in another case development of a chronic subdural haematoma and hygroma caused death 3 months after the surgery. Minor complications (e.g. subdural hygroma) were found in two cases. In cases of severe hydrocephalus or intracranial cysts, higher-pressure valve systems are recommended in order to prevent subdural hygroma. Transient postoperative clinical signs usually resolve within one week after the surgery.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32384064/