Ventriculoatrial Shunt in Refractory Hydrocephalus: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Installing a ventriculoatrial shunt (VAS) is a common surgical procedure for the treatment of hydrocephalus, though whether it should be the preferred surgical procedure for the treatment of hydrocephalus is controversial. However, should it be the preferred remedial procedure after a failed ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS)? This study aimed to investigate the clinical application value of a VAS in refractory hydrocephalus. We performed a retrospective analysis of a patient with refractory hydrocephalus admitted to the First Hospital of South China University in July 2022 who underwent revision surgery twice with poor postoperative shunt results. We gave the patient a VAS, and the patient recovered well after surgery and was followed up for 2 months without complications or recurrence of hydrocephalus. VAS is a remedy for refractory hydrocephalus. Its advantages include that it is a simple and easy operation to perform; most patients recover well after surgery; it is safe and effective; and it has a low recurrence rate. With the improvement of the surgical method and the advancement of equipment, VAS did not show a higher probability of complications and serious events compared with a ventriculoperitoneal shunt in the literature reviewed in this paper.