Table 4.
Suspected cause for hardware removal
| Number of samples with only one suspected cause of failure (% of total samples) | Number of samples, including multiple suspected causes (% of total samples) | |
|---|---|---|
| Proximal catheter obstruction | 121 (41.2) | 148 (50.5) |
| Valve obstruction | 10 (3.4) | 31 (10.6) |
| Multiple suspected causes | 37 (12.6) | NA |
| Externalization due to infection | 26 (8.9) | 29 (9.9) |
| Internalization to remove EVD | 20 (6.8) | 20 (6.8) |
| Distal catheter obstruction | 9 (3.1) | 15 (5.1) |
| Disconnection | 7 (2.4) | 15 (5.1) |
| Switching shunt configuration | 11 (3.8) | 11 (3.8) |
| Removal of original reservoir | 10 (3.4) | 10 (3.4) |
| Over-drainage | 6 (2.0) | 8 (2.7) |
| Reservoir malfunction | 4 (1.4) | 6 (2.0) |
| Truncated catheter | 4 (1.4) | 4 (1.4) |
| Unknown | 4 (1.4) | 4 (1.4) |
| Upgrading valve | 4 (1.4) | 4 (1.4) |
| Fracture of proximal catheter | 2 (0.7) | 4 (1.4) |
| No longer shunt dependent | 4 (1.4) | 4 (1.4) |
| Fracture of distal catheter | 2 (0.7) | 3 (1.0) |
| Externalized due to other cause | 2 (0.7) | 3 (1.0) |
| Ventriculomegaly not otherwise specified | 3 (1.0) | 3 (1.0) |
| Wound dehiscence | 3 (1.0) | 3 (1.0) |
| Externalization due to pseudocyst | 2 (0.7) | 2 (0.7) |
| Successful ETV | 1 (0.3) | 1 (0.3) |
| Pseudo-meningocele formed around valve | 1 (0.3) | 1 (0.3) |
The counts of samples with each suspected cause of failure are shown. The first column displays Multiple suspected causes as its own category, while in the second column this category has been broken into component causes. (% of total samples) = (n of cause)/(293) ETV endoscopic third ventriculostomy EVD external ventricular drain NA not applicable