Clinical peritonitis from allergy to silicone ventriculoperitoneal shunt

Silicones are inorganic compounds that have been used for the purpose of shunting ventricular fluid since the mid-20th century [1]. Complications of ventriculoperitoneal shunts have rarely been attributed to silicone allergy, with only a handful of cases reported in literature. The classic presentation of allergy to silicone ventriculoperitoneal shunt, i.e., abdominal pain with recurrent skin breakdown along the shunt tract, is nonspecific and difficult to distinguish clinically from other causes of shunt-related symptoms. It can be diagnosed by detection of antisilicone antibodies and is treated with removal of the shunt and replacement, if needed, with a polyurethane shunt system. We report the first case of suspected silicone allergy presenting as clinical peritonitis without overt colonic perforation. © 2017, Japanese Society of Gastroenterology.