The Wellington Hospital
8A Wellington Place NW8 9LE London
Syringo-subarachnoid shunt
BYPASS DRAIN FOR A BUILD-UP OF FLUID IN THE SPINAL CORD
A syringo-subarachnoid shunt is used to drain a build-up of fluid in the spinal cord
About
A syringo-subarachnoid shunt is used to drain a build up of fluid within the spinal cord, which will help to relieve pressure and any associated pain.
Our Syringo-subarachnoid shunt locations
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Princess Grace Hospital
42-52 Nottingham Place W1U 5NY London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
Chiswick Outpatients
Bond House 347-353 Chiswick High Road W4 4HS London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
David’s gym video shows him repeatedly pushing up to 100kg on a single leg press – not particularly unusual for this keen cyclist, former competitive squash player and all-round fitness enthusiast. What is unusual is that 52-year-old David had hip surgery just 12 weeks earlier.
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.
Need to know
A syringo-subarachnoid shunt is a thin flexible tube used to redirect fluid from within the spinal cord to the surrounding fluid-filled space (subarachnoid space), with the aim of relieving pressure. Your neurosurgeon will insert one end of the shunt into the cyst (or syrinx) in your spinal cord, with the other end entering the subarachnoid space, allowing drainage of the syrinx, with the aim of relieving pain and preventing neurological deterioration
Your neurosurgeon will explain your syringo-subarachnoid shunt procedure to you and answer any questions you might have. As you'll be having general anaesthetic, they will let you know how long you should avoid eating and drinking before surgery.
You may also be asked to attend a nurse-led pre-assessment clinic. Like all procedures, there may be some risks and side effects involved. Your consultant will explain these to you.
After your syringo-subarachnoid shunt procedure, you'll be transferred to our recovery ward, where youll be looked after by a specialist team. Your neurosurgeon will explain your recovery time to you and when you can expect to get back to your usual routine.