Article
I can hear my shunt – audible noises associated with CSF-shunts in hydrocephalic patients
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Authors
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Stefanie Kaestner
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Klinikum Kassel, Germany
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Christian Roth
- Neurologische Klinik, Klinikum Kassel, Germany
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Jens Kleffmann
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Klinikum Kassel, Germany
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Wolfgang Deinsberger
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Klinikum Kassel, Germany
| Published: | June 8, 2016 |
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Outline
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Objective: CSF shunts are lifetime implants and anecdotally patients report on noises associated with their shunts. There is a vast lack of information regarding acoustic phenomena related to CSF-shunts.
Method: We identified all patients, who were treated or followed at our neurosurgical department within a 15 year period from January 2000 up to the end of 2014. All patients, who were cognitively intact were explored by a questionnaire and / or by personal interview about acoustic phenomena related to their shunts.
Results: 379 patients were eligible for the survey and 260 patients completed the questionnaire. 29 patients report on noises raised by their shunts (11,2%). All of them experience intermittent noises while changing body posture mainly from a lying to an upright position or reclining the head. Most of the patients report on low sounds but loud and even very loud noises occur in some patients. Most patients are not bothered by these noises because they regard it as a normal part of the therapy or a proof of a functioning shunt device. Mainly modern valves with gravitational units in young adults are likely to produce noises, but nearly all valve types are able to evoke noises.
Conclusions: Noises raised by a shunt do occur in a considerable number of shunted patients. One should be aware of this phenomenon and these patients should be taken seriously.
