Catheter tunneling

What it is

Catheter tunneling is the surgical step of passing the shunt's distal tubing under the skin, from the head down to the drainage site (such as the abdomen for a VP shunt). It creates a hidden path for the tubing through the body.

Understanding Catheter tunneling

During shunt surgery, after the ventricular catheter and valve are in place, the surgeon tunnels the distal catheter beneath the skin — typically behind the ear, down the neck and chest — to reach the destination cavity. This keeps the entire shunt internal, with no tubing visible or exposed externally. Tunneling is a standard part of placing a shunt and is done carefully to route the tubing smoothly. Once tunneled and connected, the tubing lies under the skin, where it generally cannot be seen, though it may sometimes be faintly felt. Understanding tunneling helps families picture how the shunt runs internally from the head to the drainage site.

Why it matters

Understanding catheter tunneling helps families picture how the shunt tubing runs hidden under the skin from the head to the drainage site, keeping the entire system internal.