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What Is Ventriculoatrial Shunt?
Question: Dr. Saghafi, we meet again lol what is v/a shunt and how does it work?
I know it drains cerebrospinal fluid but I am not sure where drains
To or where it goes from the head maybe you could explain that further in depth? To help me understand where every part of it goes to drain that cerebral spinal fluid
I know it drains cerebrospinal fluid but I am not sure where drains
To or where it goes from the head maybe you could explain that further in depth? To help me understand where every part of it goes to drain that cerebral spinal fluid
Brief Answer:
Ventriculoatrial shunt or VAS?
Detailed Answer:
Good morning and thank you for both your very generous commentary on my last answer to you. I'm glad it was helpful.
I'd like to also make a mention that I very much appreciated your patience with the time it took to process and respond to your questions which were quite good as a matter of fact. Depending on the complexity and nature of the situation as well as my present obligations in my practice both in office as well as at the hospital, time frames can be as long as 24 hrs. between questions and answers. Of course, I do try and resolve questions as quickly as possible but the 24 hr. limit is one which is within the guidelines of both this network as well as many others. Again, many thanks for your questions AND your understanding.
Now, to the shunt. The VA shunt or VAS is placed using a catheter whose tip is positioned in the ventricle of the brain (usually lateral) and connected to a unidirectional valve (i.e. ONE WAY) for the purpose of draining fluid away from the brain with a drain point in the atrium of the heart. Excess fluid in the hydrcephalic case then, is processed as part of the circulating volume of the body and pressure in the brain is thusly relieved. It's really just as simple a concept as that and nothing more. Of course, I am not a neurosurgeon and have never placed one but have seen many done so an experienced surgeon can place these without much difficulty or delay.
The tip of the catheter is fixed so that it remains in the lateral ventricle of the brain where a huge of reservoir of fluid collects and then, the other side of the tube is passed underneath the skin of the head and neck with the other tip eventually being placed and fixed in the atrium of the heart (the top chamber) where the fluid drains, mixes with the blood, and then, is absorbed appropriately.
One interesting piece of information about a VAS is that surgeons typically always use that location after they've ruled out other locations such as the peritoneum and pleural space first.
Please let me know if there are any other things you'd like to know of this type of shunt. I looked for a video clip to share with you but could only find one of a VP or ventriculoperitoneal shunt....I'll provide you the URL and you can watch how they surgically place this device. It's identical to how they would do a V/A shunt except of course, the latter goes into the heart.
Cheers!
https://www.YYYY.com/watch?v=XXXXXX
Ventriculoatrial shunt or VAS?
Detailed Answer:
Good morning and thank you for both your very generous commentary on my last answer to you. I'm glad it was helpful.
I'd like to also make a mention that I very much appreciated your patience with the time it took to process and respond to your questions which were quite good as a matter of fact. Depending on the complexity and nature of the situation as well as my present obligations in my practice both in office as well as at the hospital, time frames can be as long as 24 hrs. between questions and answers. Of course, I do try and resolve questions as quickly as possible but the 24 hr. limit is one which is within the guidelines of both this network as well as many others. Again, many thanks for your questions AND your understanding.
Now, to the shunt. The VA shunt or VAS is placed using a catheter whose tip is positioned in the ventricle of the brain (usually lateral) and connected to a unidirectional valve (i.e. ONE WAY) for the purpose of draining fluid away from the brain with a drain point in the atrium of the heart. Excess fluid in the hydrcephalic case then, is processed as part of the circulating volume of the body and pressure in the brain is thusly relieved. It's really just as simple a concept as that and nothing more. Of course, I am not a neurosurgeon and have never placed one but have seen many done so an experienced surgeon can place these without much difficulty or delay.
The tip of the catheter is fixed so that it remains in the lateral ventricle of the brain where a huge of reservoir of fluid collects and then, the other side of the tube is passed underneath the skin of the head and neck with the other tip eventually being placed and fixed in the atrium of the heart (the top chamber) where the fluid drains, mixes with the blood, and then, is absorbed appropriately.
One interesting piece of information about a VAS is that surgeons typically always use that location after they've ruled out other locations such as the peritoneum and pleural space first.
Please let me know if there are any other things you'd like to know of this type of shunt. I looked for a video clip to share with you but could only find one of a VP or ventriculoperitoneal shunt....I'll provide you the URL and you can watch how they surgically place this device. It's identical to how they would do a V/A shunt except of course, the latter goes into the heart.
Cheers!
https://www.YYYY.com/watch?v=XXXXXX
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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