Cervical myelopathy due to migration of torkildsen’s shunt: Case report

BACKGROUND Ventriculocisternal (Torkildsen’s) shunts were used often in the past for the treatment of patients with obstructive hydrocephalus. Cisternal shunts may still be indicated in the management of syringomyelia. CASE DESCRIPTION Presented is a case of a patient developing cervical myelopathy due to migration of a Torkildsen’s shunt placed 30 years before. Initially thought to have a malfunctioning shunt, he then underwent removal of the catheter, which was demonstrated on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to be compressing the cervicomedullary junction. The patient improved slightly after removal of the catheter. CONCLUSIONS Patients with cisternal shunts in whom a cervical myelopathy develops should be evaluated with MRI to rule out upper spinal cord compression caused by a migrated catheter.