Vp shunt

[demondez]

Hi every one i have a V P Shunt in my Head i have had this One since 2000 had previouse ones to that but was just wondering how long has any one had a Vp Shunt before it packed up and had to be replaced this Ones been in since 2000

Dez

[Matt2584]

Hi Dez,

I have a shunt and it was first installed in 1996. It was a very good shunt and I had no problems with it up until 2005. In 2005 I was diagnosed with a cyst/tumour against my spine. I had a meeting with the surgeon before the surgery. He knew all about my brain injury and shunt and the back operation was quite a simple procedure too. I lay on my front, my back is open and they scoop out the cyst/tumour.... bish, bash, bosh.

BUT

I had an emergency operation on my shunt later on because the surgeon had "somehow" dislodged my shunt!

Anyway, this new shunt did not last long and basically fell apart the following year (2006). In 2008 I had another op on the shunt and in 2010 I had 2 ops on my shunt.

So as you can probably tell, the surgeon in 2005 who performed the back op well buggered me up.

I was told by another doctor of mine once that a shunt can usually last for about ten years. This is not to say that the surgeon in 2005 did me a favour or something.

I have more faith in nature now and I believe that eating better, natural food and keeping well hydrated is key for keeping the shunt in working condition.

[BobinTewks in reply to Matt2584]

Thank you Matt, very informative. My partner has had a shunt following a TBI in February and I'm learning so much.

He originally had a "fixed" rate type but a week later they had to operate again to replace with a programmable one. Since then he's had to be taken from Gloucester Royal back to Southmead to have it adjusted (using magnets). It's now set at "100".

Dez said he has a VP shunt. Do you know what VP means. Is Michaels programmable one a VP?

(Dez - best wishes with the new shunt)

[lcd8 in reply to BobinTewks]

Hi there. VP stands for 'ventricular peritoneal'. I think it is the nature of shunt rather than whether it is programmable or not. I think my VP shunt is programmable.

[Matt2584 in reply to BobinTewks]

No problem Bobin and good luck to your partner.

Lcd8 is correct. VP shunt is Ventricular Peritoneal or even VentriculoPeritoneal.

I don't know a great deal about my shunt or shunts in general apart from the fact that they drain Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) but I guess my shunt is programmable.

My shunt is positioned just behind my right ear and I remember once where my consultant pressed the valve of my shunt. I thought he said he was pushing some sort of a button on the shunt but a friend of mine at my Headway who has a shunt said they press the valve to see if it will pop back out on it's own. If it does pop out again, it shows that the shunt is working properly. I don't recommend anybody on here with shunts to go pressing them though. Leave that to the consultants. I would never press my shunt in incase I bugger it up :).

[demondez in reply to BobinTewks]

thanks

[lcd8]

HI Dez. I have a VP shunt too. I was once told they last 5-10 years on average (perhaps less if you're still growing). But if you have had your current shunt since 2000 this must not always be the case. I do know that over the years medical advances have meant that shunts are more sophisticated so maybe that is why. I have had my current one since 2007.

Lulu