Turner S G, Hall W A
Department of Neurosurgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55455, USA.
Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2006 Dec;148(12):1307-10; discussion 1310. doi: 10.1007/s00701-006-0850-1. Epub 2006 Jul 31.
The treatment of hydrocephalus has benefited recently from the use of programmable shunt valves. These devices can be adjusted using magnets to regulate how much spinal fluid is drained. However, it is unclear to what extent other environmental magnetic sources can affect programmable valves. We present the case of a man who attempted suicide by successfully turning his adjustable valve to a near-maximal setting using a hand-held electromagnet, and discuss other reported cases in order to better understand the effects of environmental magnets on programmable shunt valves.
