RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Bacteriological examination of removed cerebrospinal fluid shunts. JF Journal of Clinical Pathology JO J Clin Pathol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists SP 987 OP 990 DO 10.1136/jcp.36.9.987 VO 36 IS 9 A1 R Bayston A1 T S Leung A1 B M Wilkins A1 B Hodges YR 1983 UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/36/9/987.abstract AB A conventional method of bacteriological examination of removed cerebrospinal fluid shunts was compared with another method which relies on microscopic and cultural examination of intraluminal fluid. Fifty-five shunts were tested. All eight cases of clinical shunt infection gave positive results with the latter method, whereas a further 23 shunts yielded positive cultures by the conventional method in the absence of clinical infection. The consequences of missed infections due to omission of microscopic examination and overdiagnosis using the conventional culture method are discussed.