Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt: Impact of Nursing Management on Outcomes of Patients with Adult Hydrocephalus

Abstract

Hydrocephalus is a build-up of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain ventricles. It results from disturbance of production, flow or absorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) resulting in increase pressure within the brain ventricles or subarachnoid space (Toma, 2018). Hydrocephalus is called obstructive/non-communicating when caused by blockage of CSF flow in the ventricular system but when caused by inadequate reabsorption of CSF is called non-obstructive/communicating hydrocephalus. Old adults can primarily affected by a form of hydrocephalus called normal pressure hydrocephalus; despite the excess fluid, cerebrospinal fluid pressure is often within normal range (Sivagnanam and Jha, 2012; Nassar and Lippa, 2016). Non-communicating and communicating hydrocephalus were associated with elevated intracranial pressure, which is responsible for the similar symptoms in both types. However, symptoms may vary slightly depending on the type of hydrocephalus, age of onset and severity (Sivagnanam and Jha, 2012). International incidence of adult hydrocephalus is unknown. Nearly 100,000 shunts are implanted each year in the developed countries for all age groups of patients, but little information is available for other countries (Nelson, 2016). Also, between 3000 and 3500 shunt operations are performed in United Kingdom yearly, affecting a wide range of patients with both congenital and acquired hydrocephalus (Jenkinson et al., 2014). During 2015, 40 shunt operations are performed for patients with adult hydrocephalus in neurosurgery department at