Blindness following ventriculoperitoneal shunt block in a child with spinal dysraphism: Case report

A six-year-old boy presented with a week history of increasing headache, visual loss and convulsions. He had repair of myelomeningocele early in life and later had insertion of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for hydrocephalus after the repair. He was treated for meningitis at the referring hospital without improvement. Computed tomography scan of the brain showed ventricular enlargement. The shunt was found to be broken and blocked and was revised. This was followed by rapid improvement but vision was never regained. Shunt malfunction in patients with spinal dysraphism can lead to visual loss but the features may mimic those of meningitis, and delayed referral and treatment. Early shunt revision should prevent this complication. East African Medical Journal Vol.82(2) 2005: 107-10