Endovascular CSF Shunt Placement for Minimally Invasive Hydrocephalus Drainage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing treatments for hydrocephalus and intracranial hypertension, such as ventriculoperitoneal shunts, suffer from high failure rates, complications, and invasive procedures, with minimal design improvements in decades.

Innovation Solution

A minimally invasive endovascular approach using a delivery catheter to deploy a CSF shunt through the venous system, accessing the subarachnoid space via venous branches or the third ventricle, allowing CSF drainage into the venous system, utilizing imaging guidance and expandable anchors for secure placement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ventriculoperitoneal shunts are used to drain CSF, then CSF drainage is achieved, but the procedure becomes highly invasive with skull drilling and high failure rates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshunt success rateVSAvoidsurgical invasiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of accessing the ventricle through skull drilling and routing the shunt externally or to the peritoneum, this invention inverts the approach by accessing the subarachnoid space through the venous system from below. The shunt is delivered endovascularly through veins to reach the lumbar subarachnoid space, eliminating the need for craniotomy and external routing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The venous system serves as an intermediary pathway to reach the subarachnoid space. Rather than directly penetrating the skull and dura to access the ventricle, the invention uses the naturally occurring venous channels as a conduit to deliver the shunt to the target location, reducing tissue disruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional shunt procedures are performed, then CSF drainage is established, but infection risk and over-drainage complications increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinfection riskVSAvoidphysiological drainage

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The shunt utilizes the body's own venous system as the drainage pathway, allowing CSF to flow naturally into the venous circulation where it is processed and redistributed. This self-service approach eliminates the need for external reservoirs or peritoneal routing, reducing infection risk while maintaining physiological drainage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The invention leverages the pressure gradient between the subarachnoid space and venous system to drive CSF flow. By connecting these two fluid systems, the shunt creates a hydraulic pathway that allows natural pressure-driven flow without requiring external pumps or complex regulation mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive endovascular approach is used, then surgical trauma is reduced, but precise positioning and secure placement become more challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical traumaVSAvoidshunt placement precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The shunt incorporates radiopaque markers or contrast elements that allow visualization under fluoroscopy or other imaging modalities. These visual indicators enable precise positioning verification during the endovascular delivery process, ensuring accurate placement despite the minimally invasive approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #32Color changes

Solution Approach 2:

The shunt device combines multiple materials with different properties, including radiopaque components for imaging visibility, biocompatible materials for tissue compatibility, and potentially shape-memory or expandable elements for secure anchoring. This composite construction enables both precise positioning and stable placement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Reduces the risk of complications by avoiding skull drilling and provides a more physiological CSF drainage, minimizing over-drainage and infection risks, with a stable and effective CSF flow regulation.

Implementation Method 1

A positive pressure gradient between the CSF pressure of the subarachnoid space and the blood pressure of the venous system may contribute to the natural absorption of CSF through arachnoid granulations

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure gradient: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS12508406B2Systems and methods for treating hydrocephalus

Publication Date: 2025.12.30 CEREVASC INC

AI summary

Methods for deploying and removing an endovascular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt device in a patient's spinal subarachnoid space or third ventricle are disclosed herein. The disclosed methods can be used to treat elevated CSF pressure (e.g., acquired communicating hydrocephalus, pseudotumor cerebri), normal pressure hydrocephalus, or as a temporary measure to drain CSF and/or blood from the subarachnoid space instead of inserting an external ventricular drain in the patient.