Intestinal perforation. An infrequent complication of ventriculo-peritoneal shunts.

Bowel perforation by ventriculo-peritoneal shunts occurred in two children with no abdominal symptoms. The diagnosis in each instance was confirmed by opacification of the colon in one child and the small bowel in the other via contrast medium injection of the distal shunt tubing. "Shuntograms" are recommended for all patients with no readily evident cause of dysfunctioning cerebrospinal fluid-peritoneal shunts.