Intra-abdominal blockage of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt by a suspected mesenteric pseudocyst in a dog

Abstract

Background There are few reports of abdominal complications following ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement for the treatment of hydrocephalus in dogs. Case report A 3-year-old dog underwent successful VP shunting for the treatment of hydrocephalus, but re-presented 10 months later with progressive central vestibular syndrome. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain suggested VP catheter obstruction. The dog was euthanased and on postmortemexamination the abdominal tip of the VP catheter was ensheathed and blocked by fibrous mesentery, possibly a pseudocyst. Conclusions Abdominal complications are common in humans, with pseudocysts reported in up to 4.5% of cases. This diagnosis should be considered for dogs re-presenting following VP shunt surgery.