Late calcification and rupture: a rare complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunting.

A 10-year old boy who had undergone a ventriculoperitoneal (V/P) shunt because of hydrocephalus at 10 days of age was doing well until 20 days ago, when he began to experience headache and seizures. CT scan revealed dilated lateral ventricles and calcification at the shunt site. X-rays showed an unusual calcification pattern around the shunt tube and rupture of the tube between the mastoid bone and clavicle. The patient underwent surgery and the shunt was changed completely. The ventricles became small in the follow-up. Even though V/P shunts may induce fibrous tissue formation and calcification around the tube, there are a few cases of shunt rupture and calcification of shunts in the literature. Possible mechanisms of the rupture and calcification are discussed in this paper.