Staphylococcus warneri ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection: failure of diagnosis by ventricular CSF sampling.

Background: The definite diagnosis of hydrocephalus valve infection is generally made by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling via the valve reservoir, which is considered to be more dependable than that of the CSF obtained by lumbar puncture.

Case Report: We treated a 17-year-old boy with an intra-abdominal pseudocyst due to ventriculoperitoneal shunt infection caused by Staphylococcus warneri whose ventricular CSF, obtained via the valve reservoir, was repeatedly sterile thus causing a considerable delay in the management of the complication.

Discussion And Conclusions: S.

Citrobacter koseri meningitis: a neurosurgical condition?

A 2-month-old girl developed meningitis, ventriculitis and brain abscess in the course of Citrobacter koseri infection. She was successfully treated with the combined use of antibiotics, intra-cavitary urokinase and surgery, thus avoiding the development of hydrocephalus and of ventricular loculation. C.

Acute cholecystitis complicating ventriculo-peritoneal shunting: report of a case and review of the literature.

Case: A 3-year-old boy underwent emergency external ventricular drainage and excision of a fourth ventricle anaplastic ependymoma. A week later, the child was given a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt. Fourteen days after shunting, the child developed a subphrenic abscess and acute cholecystitis that required surgery.