Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Pressure Responsive Element
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ventriculoperitoneal shunts lack a non-invasive method to quickly and directly measure ventricular pressure, relying on invasive procedures or indirect imaging techniques, which pose risks and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of a pressure responsive element, such as a contrast container with microbubbles, operably coupled to the proximal catheter, which changes acoustic impedance in response to pressure changes, allowing for non-invasive measurement using ultrasound or sonic imaging.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If invasive procedures such as drilling a hole in the skull are used to take a ventricular pressure measurement, then ventricular pressure can be directly measured, but procedural risks and recovery time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a contrast container with microbubbles as an intermediary element that can be non-invasively imaged via ultrasound. The microbubbles serve as a mediator between the ventricular pressure (which cannot be directly measured non-invasively) and the ultrasound imaging system, allowing indirect but accurate pressure assessment without invasive procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical invasive measurement system (drilling, direct pressure sensors) with an acoustic field-based system. Ultrasound waves interact with the microbubbles in the contrast container to provide pressure information, substituting mechanical intrusion with non-invasive acoustic imaging
2Measurement precision
If invasive procedures are used to measure ventricular pressure, then direct measurement is achieved, but recovery time and risk of secondary infections increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces invasive mechanical measurement with non-invasive ultrasound imaging of microbubbles. This substitution eliminates the need for surgical recovery while maintaining measurement capability, as the microbubbles can be imaged through intact tissue without requiring skull drilling or other invasive access
3Object-affected harmful factors
If CT scans or X-rays are used to indirectly measure ventricular pressure, then non-invasive measurement is achieved, but measurement precision and speed are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical parameter being measured from general anatomical changes (CT/X-ray density variations) to acoustic impedance changes of microbubbles. The microbubbles' strong acoustic contrast provides superior sensitivity to pressure changes compared to tissue density changes, enabling more precise and faster measurements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the acoustic 'contrast' (analogous to color in optical systems) of microbubbles to indicate pressure changes. The microbubbles provide a strong acoustic signal that changes with pressure, making them highly visible and measurable via ultrasound, similar to how a colored indicator changes with conditions in other measurement systems
4Object-affected harmful factors
If CT scans or X-rays are used to measure ventricular pressure, then non-invasive measurement is achieved, but measurement speed is reduced due to requiring scans over several days
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces slow, sequential multi-day imaging protocols with real-time ultrasound imaging of microbubbles. The acoustic imaging system provides immediate feedback on ventricular pressure through microbubble behavior, eliminating the time required for repeated CT or X-ray scans over several days
Data Source
AI summary
A ventriculoperitoneal shunt includes a proximal catheter, a distal catheter, a shunt valve operably coupling the proximal catheter to the distal catheter, and a contrast container containing contrast material configured to change acoustic impedance proportionally to a change in pressure applied to the contrast container.