Electroconvulsive therapy for depression in a patient with a programmable ventriculoperitoneal shunt in situ for congenital hydrocephalus.

Abstract

Background: Shunt surgery remains the gold standard of treatment for hydrocephalus. Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt systems represent the most commonly used technique, and the increasing use of programmable valves allows the neurosurgical team to easily and non-invasively adjust shunt settings where indicated. However, their safety in specific clinical scenarios can be a common source of uncertainty due to potential interactions between parametric shunt components and external electromagnetic fields.

Case presentation: We report the case of electroconvulsive therapy being used successfully in a 64-year-old presenting with treatment-resistant depression, on a background of a programmable VP shunt system in situ for congenital hydrocephalus. To our knowledge, this is the first individual report which presents the successful use of ECT in a patient with a programmable shunt valve.