Laparoscopic Fundoplication in Patients with Ventriculoperitoneal Shunts: A Systematic Review and Our Experience

Background: Data on the outcomes of laparoscopic fundoplication (LF) in patients with ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunts are limited.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the demographic characteristics and outcomes of patients who underwent LF at our institutions between 2014 and 2022. Then, we systematically reviewed articles in MEDILINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science.Results: There was no significant difference in terms of the outcomes between patients with VP shunt (n = 10) and those without (n = 96) at our institutions. None of the patients presented with shunt trouble after LF. The meta-analysis included four retrospective studies and our institutional data. In total, 605 patients (55 with VP shunt) underwent LF. Furthermore, 2 (3.6%) of 55 patients (1 with infection and 1 with occlusion) had shunt troubles. The conversion and complication rates, operative time, and length of hospital stay did not significantly differ between patients with VP shunt and those without.Conclusions: LF can be safely performed on children with VP shunts and is associated with a low risk of shunt troubles. The Clinical Trial Registration number is 2022-387.