My mom recently had the nph operation in which the surgeon inserts a shunt in the skull to drain off cerebral-spinal fluid which is building up pressure in ventrical causing slowing of cognitive functions and skills such as memory, etc. In other words she was suffering all the signs of alzheimers and dementia. We were assured by the doctors that these signs would subside and she would return to normal within a week or two. Week and a half after the operation the drainage tube clogged and staph set in. She was rushed back to the hospital and after lowering her temperature which had reached 102, and feeding antibiotics into her another operation to replace the shunt and drainage tube (now directly into her jugglar vain) was done. She has slept for days at a time, still has little memory, cannot stand or walk, and has headaches constantly.
What happened? Was something done incorrectly? SOMEONE please help me!