shunt infection

Last reviewed 04/2022

Infection of a shunt is an important complication, which can occur:

  • at the ventricular end causing ventriculitis
  • at the atrial end causing septicaemia
  • at the peritoneal end causing peritonitis

Shunt infection falls into two major groups:

  • infection within six or eight weeks of insertion
  • later infection, which is much less common