31 results about "Csf shunt" patented technology

A novel ventricular catheter designed to reduce CSF shunt obstruction is disclosed comprising a tip using a membrane without any opening and capable of filtering the CSF. When the CSF flows through the membrane, neither tissue (choroid plexus, blood cells, tumor cells, suctioned ependymal tissue) nor proteins can break through the membrane, making this ventricular catheter capable of preventing obstruction from tissue invasion but also preventing clogging from protein precipitation, coagulation or flocculation along the downstream shunt system.

A method and device for testing for the presence, absence and / or rate of flow in a shunt tubing implanted under the skin by using a measurement pad having a plurality of temperature sensors, one of which is aligned with the shunt and the other sensors being symmetrically displaced on either side of the first temperature sensor in a direction transverse to the shunt tubing. These “outer” temperature sensors act as control temperature sensors. A temperature source, e.g., a cooling agent, positioned within an insulated enclosure, is then applied at a predetermined location on the measurement pad that is insulated from the temperature sensors. The movement of this temperature “pulse” is detected by the shunt-aligned temperature sensor via the shunt tubing as the CSF carries the temperature pulse while the control sensors detect the pulse via convection through the skin. The temperature data from these sensors are provided to a CSF analyzer that determines a CSF shunt flow status or flow rate.

An apparatus capable of generating flow in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt systems by vibrating the shunt, tubing or shunt valve dome, or applying cyclical pressure to the various parts of the shunt system. A method of generating flow and method of using the apparatus in shunt patency assessment, for example, hydraulic resistance assessment, is also disclosed. The apparatus allows, in conjunction with a thermal dilution method or radionuclide method, a quick CSF shunt patency assessment based upon CSF shunt resistance and not upon CSF flow or intracranial pressure (ICP) separately. This provides a more objective measure of shunt obstruction compared to other methods. Furthermore, the apparatus can be used to enhance flow in shunts, identify partial occlusion before symptoms occur, differentiate between patent, partially-occluded and occluded shunts. The apparatus can be used to generate flow in shunts if there is a need to lower ICP or move drugs administered via an injection chamber or a shunt dome.

A method is described for using a postoperative CSF dynamical examination to determine the CSF dynamical state of the patient and the dynamical state of the CSF shunt in conjunction therewith.

The disclosure relates to a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt for treatment of hydrocephalus, comprising a valve having an inlet port and an outlet port, which ports are for draining CSF, and a control port for regulating the drainage of CSF through the valve according to a hydrostatic pressure provided to the control port, which hydrostatic pressure is dependent on the body position of the patient. The disclosure further relates to a method for treatment of hydrocephalus comprising regulating drainage of CSF based on a hydrostatic pressure that is dependent on the body position of the patient.

A cerebral spinal fluid shunt plug includes a shunt plug housing having a shunt valve recess formed therein and an intracranial monitoring device recess with an access hole. A shunt valve is positioned within the shunt valve recess of the shunt plug housing and an intracranial monitoring device is passed through the central access hole of the shunt plug housing.

An apparatus and method that utilizes thermal dilution to detect a wide range of flow rates and / or flow status in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt systems. The use of a large cold source in combination with thermosensor pad of a particular construction provide a fluid flow analyzer with the ability to detect very low levels of CSF flow. In addition, a method for adjusting thermal dilution readings to compensate for varying shunt catheter depth is shown and for determining a steady state of the thermal dilution readings. The thermosensor pad is conformable to a patient's skin contour thereby making the apparatus and method less sensitive to ambient temperature errors and, as a result, more accurate in assessing CSF flow. Furthermore, a software error check is provided for identifying poor sensor-to-skin contact for alerting an operator to re-apply the thermosensor pad to correct, as well as a post-test check to determine if temperature data is reasonable before determining flow status or flow rate.

The CSF shunt valve includes an elongate, hollow housing and a valve unit disposed within the housing. A plurality of exit ports are formed along the wall of the housing, and a plurality of bleeder ports are formed on the bottom of the housing. The valve unit includes at least one regulating mechanism disposed within the housing. Each regulating mechanism includes an obstructing member operatively attached to a spring. The spring is compressible within a predefined range of fluid pressure. The obstructing member compresses the attached spring in response to fluid pressure acting thereon, opening the exit ports for fluid being drained. The spring-biased obstructing members facilitate self-adjustment for drainage flow. Although arranged in series, the range limits are not continuous with subsequent springs, which safeguards against transient spikes in fluid pressure and ensures independent compression of subsequent springs in response to the predefined limits of pressure for that spring.

Provided is a ventricle-abdominal cavity cerebrospinal fluid diversion device. The diversion device comprises an outer water bag used for being imbedded into the subcutaneous part of the abdominal cavity of a patient, and a catheter used for draining cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricle to the abdominal cavity, an inner water bag used for squeezing the catheter is arranged on the outer wall of the catheter in a sleeved mode and communicated with the outer water bag through a water injecting tube, a check valve used for guiding fluid in the outer water bag into the inner water bag is arranged on the water injecting tube, a fluid pumping opening for releasing the fluid in the inner cavity of the inner water bag is formed in the inner water bag, and the fluid pumping opening is sealed through a silica gel sealing gasket in which a fluid pumping needle pierces. When the diversion device is used, a medical worker squeezes the outer water bag outside the body of the patient, the fluid in the outer water bag can be squeezed into the inner water bag through the water injecting tube, the inner water bag expands to make the inner diameter of the catheter clamped in the inner water bag reduce, and therefore the drainage amount of cerebrospinal fluid in the catheter can be adjusted, the ventricle-abdominal cavity cerebrospinal fluid diversion device is very good in clinical safety, and the requirement of cerebrospinal fluid for circulation pressure is met.