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What is a shunt? | HydroKids

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what is a shunt?

Diagnosis
Through the Hydrocephalus
Association, we have met
many people going through
the same challenges tha
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Did You Know?

Hydrocephalus is a
combination of the Greek
word hydro which means
water and cephalus which
means head.

A shunt is a narrow tube that allows excess cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that has built-up inside the skull to
drain out into another part of the body, such as the heart or abdomen (belly). To drain excess CSF,
shunts are inserted into an opening or pouch inside the brain called a ventricle, just above where the
blockage is that is preventing the CSF from flowing properly.
Shunts are named according to where they are inserted in
the brain and where they are inserted to let the excess
CSF drain out. A ventriculo-peritoneal (VP) shunt drains
into the abdomen or peritoneum (belly). Most shunts are
VP shunts. A ventriculo-pleural shunt drains into the
space surrounding the lung. A ventriculo-atrial (VA) shunt
drains into the atria of the heart.
Shunts are made of soft, flexible plastic tubing that is
about 1/8-inch (3mm) in diameter. The shunt is inserted
into the body by a neurosurgeon during a short and
usually simple surgical procedure.
All shunts perform two functions. They allow CSF to flow
in only one direction, to where it is meant to drain. And
they all have valves, which regulate the amount of
pressure inside the skull. When the pressure inside the
skull becomes too great the valve opens, lowering the
pressure by allowing excess CSF to drain out.

Types of Shunts
There are two main types of shunts:
Fixed pressure shunts have a valve that is pre-set to respond to a specific pressure, such as low,
medium, or high. If the pressure requirement changes after surgery, the shunt must be replaced with a
new one that matches the new pressure requirement.
Programmable shunts allow the neurosurgeon to set the pressure at which the valve will open, allowing
the shunt to be programmed for the individual needs of each person. If needed, the pressure setting can
be easily changed by the doctor during an office visit.

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Parts of a Shunt
A shunt has 4 main parts:

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UPPER CATHETER -This is the top-most part of the shunt. It is a small, narrow tube that is inserted into the

ventricle (a small opening or pouch) inside the brain that contains the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
RESERVOIR - This is where the excess CSF is collected until it drains into the bottom portion of the shunt.

The reservoir also lets the doctor remove samples of CSF for testing, and to inject fluid into the shunt to
test for flow and to make sure the shunt is working properly.
VALVE - This controls how much CSF is allowed to drain from the brain. The valve can be set to open at a

specific pressure (a fixed pressure valve) or it can be set by the neurosurgeon to meet the individual
needs of the person with hydrocephalus (a programmable valve).
LOWER CATHETER - This is the bottom-most part of the shunt. It is a small, narrow tube that carries the

excess CSF into the part of the body where it will be absorbed, such as into the abdomen (belly) or the
heart.

Click to learn about CODMAN products for shunt treatment

Click to learn all about shunt surgery

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