VA shunt

[ilovematt48]

-my pt has VA shunt malfunction... it doesn't say if there was an infection or if it moved. all i know is that the shunt was externalized and he now has an EVD. i know that he was 27 wks premature and hes hydrocephalic and has epilepsy. Are VA shunts only put in for tx of hydrocephalus and now he has developed this again b/c the shunt malfunctioned???? It says the surgery was a "Left VA shunt revision/EVD @ neck"... TRANSLATION??? i get the EVD part... but one part says the shunt is externalized then another part says revision??? i know the EVD should be kept at the level of the ventricles (tragus of the ear)... he's getting cefazolin 500mg q8h but is this just to prevent infection b/c of his surgery and externalization of the shunt? what else would be some question that i should know???? any input is greatly appreciated. thank you

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

• http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec19/ch292/ch292b.html - Brain Anomalies
  
• http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/hydrocephalus.html
  
• http://www.umm.edu/imagepages/9480.htm
  
• http://classes.kumc.edu/son/nurs420/unit7/unit7.html - Decreased Intracranial Adaptive Capacity: Neurological events in the complex acute client
  
• http://classes.kumc.edu/son/nurs420/unit7/monitor.htm - Intracranial Pressure Monitoring
  
• http://www.medtronic.com/neurosurger...059-1B_ICP.pdf - Intracranial Pressure Monitoring: A Guide for Family and Friends (36-page booklet)