Hi Tecari_S,

You asked in another thread about if anti-siphoning device would make a difference. Do you know the name of the valve you had installed? You should be able to get a copy of your hospital operative notes which say what was used, would be good to know. An ASD (or DRS) probably might have helped if you didn't have one but it isn't enough for some people and sometimes it is undesirable. My child's first valve had an ASD built in, she actually needed it removed, she had very low pressure initially and taking it out and using a valve that adjusted to a lower range was wonderful (and kinda outside of normal for kids with shunts). And then she changed and her pressures increased (and her ventricles did go slit, she had low compliance even when she had huge ventricles). Going up in pressure wasn't enough, adding an ASD was enough for about a year and then the surgeon switched her to a fixed low pressure valve + codman so the pressures can be adjusted higher than the standard codman range and it is like having an ASD on steroids. Adults don't usually get slit ventricles so I would think it more likely that you didn't have an ASD and needed one. But I hope you understand this can be complicated sometimes.