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OBJECTIVE:

To characterize admissions related to ventricular shunts in the year 2000 in terms of diagnoses, procedures, socioeconomic status, and other related data.

METHODS:

The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (year 2000) was analyzed retrospectively. We reviewed 7.45 million patient admissions for primary International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, procedure codes 023 to 0243 (ventricular shunts to peritoneal, atrial, pleural, and urinary systems for initial placement, revision, and removal); admissions listing ventriculostomy placement (code 022) were excluded from analysis.

RESULTS:

Five thousand five hundred seventy-four admissions were identified. Admission sources primarily were routine (58.8%) and the emergency department (32.4%). Admission types primarily were elective (43.3%), emergent (33.2%), and urgent (21.9%). The top three primary diagnoses treated were shunt …