What Are The Risks of a Hair Transplant For a Patient With a Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) Shunt?

What risks,  if any should be told to a patient with a VP shunt before doing a hair transplant procedure, and should the risk of disconnection be mentioned, and/or should patient not be allowed to do a hair transplant? – John
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Dear John,

Thanks for taking the time to write!  Let me try to answer your question as best I can.  Ventriculoperitoneal shunts are rare.  Basically they channel excess fluid from around your brain to elsewhere in the body.  These shunts do not typically involve blood or the circulatory system.

For most patients, the presence of a shunt like this should not pose a problem for surgery, but I would check with the neurosurgeon who placed it or neurologist that the patient sees for specific recommendations because the location of the shunt can vary from patient to patient.  It may or may not even be in the area that the surgical plan involves. Common risks would include infection, pain, swelling, shock loss, hiccups, redness, and scarring among others, and these are routinely discussed with your hair transplant surgeon prior to any procedure.  For the most part, however, complications with any sort of hair transplant procedure are rare.

The way you phrased your question makes me think of the legal ramifications of surgical complications.  Of course, risks, expectations, and potential complications should be discussed with your hair transplant surgeon, and since this is such a unique situation, other experts might be consulted.  As I mentioned, every shunt is different, just as hair transplant surgery involves different areas.  There is no standard of care in hair transplant as to how to handle a patient who has one.  Whether the patient should be allowed to do it or not is therefore really a question for the physicians involved.

I wish I had a more definitive answer for you, but hair transplants in patients with VP shunts are simply not that common.  Good luck!

Warm Regards,
Dr. Sara Wasserbauer
Member, International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons
Member, American Hair Loss Association

Sara Wasserbauer, MD Dr. Sara Wasserbauer is Board Certified by the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery and is currently located in the Bay Area, outside of San Francisco, in Walnut Creek, California. She completed her undergraduate studies with a B.A. in Classical Archeology and minors in Chemistry, Biology and Psychology at the prestigious Dartmouth College. She then went on to earn her medical degree from the renowned Medical College of Ohio where she was designated Class Leader. After finishing her training in Internal Medicine, Dr. Wasserbauer discovered she had a natural aptitude and eye for aesthetic surgery. Growing up in a family that experienced severe hair loss in both the men AND women, she found herself drawn to hair restoration and the dramatic change it could have on one’s appearance With the technological advancements in hair restoration surgery over the past 10 years she saw the potential of natural follicular unit hair restoration surgery to transform a person’s outward appearance and inner self esteem. She states, “Hair loss can have debilitating effects on an individual’s self image, impacting all facets of their lives from social to professional.” Dr. Wasserbauer felt that with her surgical skills, training and natural empathy she could make a true difference in her patient’s lives. Dr. Wasserbauer is a member of the International Alliance of Hair Restoration Surgeons and recommended by the American Hair Loss Association. Visit Dr. Wasserbauer's Website: www.californiahairsurgeon.com

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