Re:Plug behind left ear... (Score 1)

Plumbing of this sort is pretty common for people with hydrocephalus - too much fluid and thus pressure in the brain. In those cases, a small programmable (magnetocouple) valve is installed to maintain a set intra-cranial fluid pressure. One tube runs from the valve into the brain ventricles, and a drainage tube is then run from the valve (affixed to the skullbone), down past the ear, through the neck, and into a chest cavity. The placement is done using a stiff insertion tube/rod which is pushed under the skin from the head down to the target area in the chest (it's pretty damn painful to watch). I would assume that something similar is done with these wires. The point is to seal everything inside the skin for an internally closed system to minimize infection risk. -IANABS (but I do work for one)