Lethal septicemia caused by calcified cavo-tricuspid thrombus. Case report on a patient with atrial shunt

With the introduction of one way calibrated shunt systems, made of silicon rubber, an efficient treatment of hydrocephalus seemed to be possible. The mortality rate decreased rapidly for example for non-communicating hydrocephalus from 80 to 20%. However, other complications appeared, such as shunt infections, shunt malfunctions and even severe thromboembolic complications and septic shock. This report presents one patient with shunt-treated normal pressure hydrocephalus who developed pulmonary emboli, mural calcified atrial thrombus with involvement of the tricuspid valve and shunt infection with lethal septic shock. Despite of an aggressive treatment, he died of multiple organ system failure.