Treatment: Shunts
CSF shunt
A CSF shunt is an implanted device that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain to another part of the body, the most common treatment for hydrocephalus.
In short: CSF shunt
- It drains excess CSF from the brain to elsewhere in the body.
- It is the most common treatment for hydrocephalus.
- It includes a catheter, a valve, and tubing.
- It usually requires lifelong follow-up and may need revisions.
What it is
A CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) shunt is an implanted system that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain's ventricles to another part of the body, where it can be absorbed. It is the most common treatment for hydrocephalus.
Understanding CSF shunt
A shunt typically consists of a catheter placed into a ventricle (the proximal catheter), a valve that controls flow, and tubing (the distal catheter) that carries fluid to another body cavity — most often the abdomen (ventriculoperitoneal shunt). By diverting CSF, the shunt relieves the buildup and controls pressure. Shunts are effective and widely used, but they are devices that can develop problems over time — such as malfunction, obstruction, or infection — so they require lifelong follow-up, and many people need one or more revisions during their lives. Understanding that a shunt is a long-term, manageable treatment, rather than a one-time fix, helps set expectations.
Why it matters
Understanding the CSF shunt helps families see how the most common treatment for hydrocephalus works — by diverting excess fluid — and why it involves lifelong follow-up and the possibility of revisions, rather than being a single permanent fix.
Common questions
What does a CSF shunt do?
It drains excess CSF from the brain to another part of the body.
What are its parts?
A proximal catheter, a valve, and distal tubing.
Is it permanent?
It is long-term and usually requires follow-up and sometimes revisions.
Bottom line
A CSF shunt is the most common treatment for hydrocephalus, draining excess fluid from the brain, and requires lifelong follow-up and sometimes revisions.
Browse all 265 Hydrocephalus definitions
Read the Hydrocephalus patient guides
Not sure which page you need? Put words to it with the symptom navigator