In uteroventriculo-amniotic shunt for hydrocephalus

Introduction Hydrocephalus is one of the most common congenital anomalies affecting the central nervous system especially in developing countries for several reasons including prohibition of abortion in many countries. The technological advances in methods of intrauterine diagnosis of congenital malformation made it possible to detect early enlargement of the ventricles and diagnose hydrocephalus as early as 15 weeks of gestational age. Many trials of intrauterine shunting proved unsuccessful, mainly because of complications such as intra- or extracranial shunt migration, obstruction, infection, and malposition. Case report The author is presenting a case of a successful ventriculo-amniotic shunt utilizing Al-Anazi ventriculo-uterine shunt, which is easy to implant. It has a one-way valve to prevent amniotic fluid backflow and special wings to prevent shunt migration, which are both relatively short and wide to reduce the possibility of malfunction and the risk of infection because there is no exposure with the external environment. Conclusion Our successful trial showed that Al-Anazi ventriculo-uterine shunt might be the first step in treating congenital hydrocephalus.