Treatment: Shunts
Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt
A ventriculoperitoneal shunt drains cerebrospinal fluid from a brain ventricle to the abdominal cavity, the most common type of shunt.
In short: Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt
- It drains CSF from a ventricle to the abdomen (peritoneal cavity).
- It is the most common type of shunt.
- The abdomen absorbs the diverted fluid.
- It runs under the skin from the head to the abdomen.
What it is
A ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt is the most common type of CSF shunt, draining cerebrospinal fluid from a brain ventricle to the peritoneal cavity (the space within the abdomen), where the fluid is absorbed. The name reflects its path: from the ventricle to the peritoneum.
Understanding Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt
In a VP shunt, a catheter is placed into a ventricle, connected through a valve to tubing that runs under the skin — behind the ear, down the neck and chest — to the abdomen, where the end is placed in the peritoneal cavity. The abdomen can absorb the diverted CSF. The VP shunt is favored because the peritoneal cavity is a reliable place to absorb fluid and the procedure is well established. Like all shunts, a VP shunt requires follow-up and can develop problems (such as obstruction, infection, or issues at either end), but it is a widely used and effective treatment for hydrocephalus across all ages.
Why it matters
Understanding the VP shunt helps families see how the most common shunt works — diverting CSF from the brain to the abdomen — and why the abdomen is used as the site where the diverted fluid is absorbed.
Common questions
Where does a VP shunt drain to?
The peritoneal cavity in the abdomen.
Why the abdomen?
It is a reliable place to absorb the diverted CSF.
Is it the most common shunt?
Yes.
Bottom line
A ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt drains CSF from a ventricle to the abdomen, the most common and widely used type of shunt.
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