Abstract
The headache in patients with meningeal carcinomatosis is usually severe. A ventriculo-peritoneal (V-P) shunt was effective for a patient with severe headache caused by meningeal carcinomatosis.
A 53 year-old woman, who received gastrectomy for gastric cancer 2.5 years ago, developed severe headache. Malignant cells were found in her spinal fluid, and a diagnosis of meningeal carcinomatosis was made. A V-P shunt was done, and her headache was markedly improved. She died 2 months later.
Main problem of V-P shunt for meningeal carcinomatosis is to remove cerebrospinal fluid containing malignant cells to the peritoneal cavity. However, prognosis of meningeal carcinomatosis is very poor, and V-P shunt for severe headache is reasonable.
