Cerebrospinal fluid shunting in children on renal dialysis. Report of two cases.

The concurrent need for both cerebrospinal fluid shunting for hydrocephalus and dialysis for end-stage renal disease is rare. No large case series are found in the literature. Because dialysis involves frequent access to either the peritoneal cavity or the venous system, concern over potential cerebrospinal shunt infection represents a point of concern. We present 2 cases in which patients underwent both dialysis and cerebrospinal fluid shunting. In one case, a child underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunting, while in the second case ventriculoatrial shunting was performed as the initial procedure. Management strategies and potential complications are discussed. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.