This study aims to examine patients with ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS) used prevalently in the treatment of hydrocephalus epidemiologically, identify complications and present what can be done to reduce complications. Thirty-three patients who underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement surgery between 2019 and 2021 at the neurosurgery department of a university hospital were examined retrospectively in terms of their epidemiology and complications using the hospital data. The most frequently observed complaint at admission was clouding loss of consciousness. There were significant differences between the patients who received revision operations after the first year following their surgery, which is the most frequently encountered period, and those who had revision operations within the first year (p0.001). In VPS surgery, which has frequent usage in the treatment of hydrocephalus, shunt dysfunction is usually caused by obstruction and infection. Some precautions can be taken to reduce the rates of these complications. Preoperative antibiotic use, the completion of the surgery in the shortest time possible, limiting entries and exits for the operating room, touching parts of the shunt as little as possible, and using neuro-navigation if possible are among the precautions that can be taken to minimize complications. To reduce mortality and morbidity rates, avoid unnecessary economic losses and prevent patients and their relatives from experiencing this stress, it is highly important to comply with these methods.
Key words: Hydrocephalus, ventriculoperitoneal shunt complication, scrotal migration
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