A peritoneovenous shunt (also called Denver shunt) is a shunt

Shunt (medical)

In medicine, a shunt is a hole or a small passage which moves, or allows movement of fluid from one part of the body to another. The term may describe either congenital or acquired shunts; and acquired shunts may be either biological or mechanical.* Cardiac shunts may be described as...

 which drains peritoneal fluid

Peritoneal fluid

Peritoneal fluid is a liquid that is made in the abdominal cavity to lubricate the surface of the tissue that lines the abdominal wall and pelvic cavity and covers most of the organs in the abdomen.- External links :...

 from the peritoneum

Peritoneum

The peritoneum is the serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity or the coelom — it covers most of the intra-abdominal organs — in amniotes and some invertebrates...

 into vein

Vein

In the circulatory system, veins are blood vessels that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated blood to the heart...

s, usually the internal jugular vein

Internal jugular vein

The two internal jugular veins collect the blood from the brain, the superficial parts of the face, and the neck.-Path:On both sides and at the base of the brain, the inferior petrosal sinus and the sigmoid sinus join to form the internal jugular vein...

 or the superior vena cava

Superior vena cava

The superior vena cava is truly superior, a large diameter, yet short, vein that carries deoxygenated blood from the upper half of the body to the heart's right atrium...

. It is sometimes used in patients with refractory ascites

Ascites

Ascites is a gastroenterological term for an accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity.The medical condition is also known as peritoneal cavity fluid, peritoneal fluid excess, hydroperitoneum or more archaically as abdominal dropsy. Although most commonly due to cirrhosis and severe liver...

.

It is a long tube with a non-return valve running subcutaneously from the peritoneum to the internal jugular vein in the neck, which allows ascitic fluid to pass directly into the systemic circulation.

Possible Complications

1. Infection
2. Superior vena caval thrombosis
3. pulmonary edema
4. bleeding from varices
5. DIC(Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy)