Fibrothorax associated with a ventriculopleural shunt in a hydrocephalic child.

Ventriculopleural (VPL) shunts are considered a safe alternative to peritoneal shunts in the management of hydrocephalus. Occasionally, however, they are associated with persistent pleural effusion. We report a child, aged 3 1/2 years, who developed severe fibrothorax following the use of a VPL shunt. The shunt was removed and decortication had to be performed to alleviate his respiratory symptoms. This serious complication, never reported previously, should be borne in mind when the pleural cavity is chosen for deviation of the cerebrospinal fluid in hydrocephalic children.