Short-term response of brain tissue to cerebrospinal fluid shunts in vivo and in vitro.

The purpose of the studies was to determine how gross physical characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts and the cellular proliferative response to shunts contribute to shunt obstruction. Ventricular catheters with round holes, slots, and flanges were implanted into the lateral ventricles of rabbits for 4 weeks. All shunt designs were subject to ingrowth of tissue from the ventricle wall or choroid plexus. There were no qualitative or quantitative differences between normal and hydrocephalic rabbits. Astroglial cells from newborn mice were cultured on shunt catheters for 2 or 4 weeks. The growth of these cells was poor, probably because the cells cannot attach well to the silicone rubber substrate. Contact between the shunt catheter and vascularized brain tissue is the most important factor in the genesis of shunt obstruction.