Scrotal migration of ventriculoperitoneal shunt in an infant: a rare case report

Ventriculoperitoneal shunting, though effective for hydrocephalus, can rarely cause distal catheter migration. Scrotal migration via a patent processus vaginalis is well known in children but remains uncommon and underreported. We report a 6-month-old male who underwent right-sided lumboperitoneal-ventriculoperitonea (VP) shunt placement after neonatal meningitis at 10 days old. At 2 months, he presented with a left inguinal swelling. Examination showed a firm, tender, non-transilluminant mass suggestive of hernia, with the shunt functioning and the child stable. Surgery confirmed VP shunt catheter herniation into the scrotum. The catheter was reduced into the peritoneal cavity using a non-touch technique, and the hernia was repaired without complications. Recovery was uneventful, and he was discharged the next day. This case underscores the need for heightened clinical vigilance in infants with VP shunts who present with inguinal swelling. Multidisciplinary surgical intervention ensures favourable outcomes.