Turkish Neurosurgery
2019 , Vol 29 , Num 2
"Reverse J Shaped" Skin Flap and Cranial Bone Groove for Shunt Hardware: A New Technique for Patients with Fragile Skin
1Ataturk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Erzurum, Turkey
DOI :
10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.20444-17.1
Shunt systems are not perfect devices and can cause severe complications. Complications may originate from problems related
to the valve, the patient, or the surgery and are more common in neonates, infants, especially preterm, by reason of the special
characteristics of these patients. We, therefore, have successfully developed a useful and viable surgical technique in order to
provide helpful aspects to the surgical issues mentioned above. This technique includes a "reverse J shaped" skin incision nonintersecting
the shunt"s hardware and distal catheter to reduce wound problems to a minimum by opening a "bone groove". We
believe that the above technique described by us will both reduce issues such as scalp ulceration, wound dehiscence, and shunt
exposure in premature and pediatric hydrocephalus cases with a friable scalp, and eliminate a cosmetic problem in hydrocephalic
patients of all ages.
Keywords :
Bone groove, Hydrocephalus, Shunt operation, Surgical technique