A ventriculoperitoneal shunt is used to divert CSF from the ventricles to the peritoneal cavity. Which of the following is a common complication?

• A. Obstruction
• B. Infection
• C. Overdrainage leading to subdural hematomas
• D. Seizure

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that shunt malfunction is most often due to obstruction. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt moves CSF from the brain’s ventricles into the peritoneal cavity, but the catheter can become blocked by tissue, debris, or protein buildup at the proximal end or by distal causes. When the flow is blocked, CSF backs up, hydrocephalus symptoms recur or worsen, and urgent evaluation by neurosurgery is needed to clear the obstruction or revise the shunt.

Infection is a real risk with shunts, and overdrainage can lead to subdural hematomas, while seizures can occur in the context of hydrocephalus or infection, but these are less common than obstruction as a complication of VP shunts.