Hepatic and colonic perforation by an abandoned ventriculoperitoneal shunt

We report a case of an abandoned distal limb of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt that resulted in hepatic as well as colonic perforation in a 12-year-old girl. Although it is common practice at the time of shunt revision to leave a retained distal catheter in the peritoneal cavity, we suggest this can result in perforation of solid as well as hollow viscera.