Hydrocephalus shunt

• US 20060004317A1
• Filed: 06/30/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Codman & Shurtleff Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Codman & Shurtleff Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Sutton, Jeffrey, Serhan, Hassan, Attawia, Mohamed, Beardsley, Timothy, Dextradeur, Alan, Mauge, Christophe, DiMauro, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/881,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20060004317A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/8
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0056 provided with an antibacterial agent, e.g. by coating, residing in the polymer matrix or releasing an agent out of a reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0045 multi-layered, e.g. coated coating materials A61L29/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/006 Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0651 Diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0659 infrared
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0661 ultraviolet
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/062 Photodynamic therapy, i.e. excitation of an agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 3/00 Drugs for disorders of the metabolism of the blood or the extracellular fluid A61P7/00

Abstract

A hydrocephalus shunt has photocatalytic capabilities. The shunt is used to treat hydrocephalus by inserting into a human cranium a hydrocephalus shunt having a component having a surface. Thereafter, a reactive oxygen species is produced on the component surface. The component may be a catheter. The shunt may also include a light source.

Claims

1. A method of treating hydrocephalus, comprising the steps of:

a) inserting into a human cranium a hydrocephalus shunt having a component having a surface, and

b) producing reactive oxygen species on the component surface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the component surface comprises a photocatalytic material.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the component surface comprises a photocatalytic layer.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of producing reactive oxygen species comprises illuminating the photocatalytic surface with light from a fiber optic cable.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of producing reactive oxygen species comprises telemetrically illuminating the photocatalytic surface with light from a fiber optic cable.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the component surface is a proximal catheter surface.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the component surface is a distal catheter surface.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the component surface is a valve component surface

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the ROS are produced in an amount sufficient to kill microbes present in the vicinity of the shunt.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the ROS are produced in an amount sufficient to oxidize organic mater present within a lumen of the shunt.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the ROS are produced in an amount sufficient to reduce inflammation in the vicinity of the shunt.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the component surface comprises a silver coating.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the component surface comprises a photosensitizer coating.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of producing ROS comprises the step of applying a voltage through the component surface.

15. A hydrocephalus shunt having a catheter comprising a photocatalytic material.

16. The shunt of claim 15 wherein the photocatalytic material comprises a semiconductor oxide.

17. The shunt of claim 16 wherein the semiconductor oxide comprises a titanium dioxide selected from the group consisting of anatase and rutile, and mixtures thereof.

18. The shunt of claim 15 wherein the photocatalytic material comprises a dopant.

19. The shunt of claim 15 wherein the photocatalytic material is present upon an inside surface of the catheter.

20. The shunt of claim 15 wherein the photocatalytic material is present upon an outside surface of the catheter.

21. The shunt of claim 15 wherein the catheter comprises an inside surface, an outside surface and an inlet hole providing fluid connection therebetween, and wherein the photocatalytic material is present upon a surface of the inlet hole.

22. The shunt of claim 15 wherein the catheter is made of a composite material comprising the photocatalytic material.

23. The shunt of claim 22 wherein the composite comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane).

24. The shunt of claim 23 wherein the photocatalytic material comprises titania.

25. The shunt of claim 23 wherein the photocatalytic material comprises between 0.1 vol % and 30 vol % of the composite.

26. The shunt of claim 15 wherein the catheter comprises poly(dimethylsiloxine).

27. A hydrocephalus shunt having a catheter comprising a wave guide.

28. The shunt of claim 27 wherein the wave guide comprises at least one fiber.

29. The shunt of claim 28 wherein the fiber comprises glass.

30. The shunt of claim 28 wherein the fiber comprises a polymer.

31. The shunt of claim 30 wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of silicones, urethanes, acrylics and polycarbonates.

32. The shunt of claim 27 wherein the catheter comprises a first lumen adapted for transported CSF, and a second lumen adapted for carrying the wave guide.

33. The shunt of claim 32 wherein the second lumen has a fiber optic cable contained therein.

34. The shunt of claim 30 further comprising a light port adapted for transmitting light to the wave guide.

35. The shunt of claim 30 wherein the wave guide has a transmissivity to ______ nm (UV) light of at least 90%.

36. The shunt of claim 27 wherein the catheter is a composite and the wave guide is present as a component of the composite.

37. The shunt of claim 36 wherein the wave guide component of the composite comprises a glass oxide.

38. The shunt of claim 36 wherein the wave guide component of the composite comprises a polymer.

39. The shunt of claim 27 further comprising an LED adapted for transmitting light to the wave guide.

40. A hydrocephalus shunt comprising a light source.

41. The shunt of claim 40 wherein the light source is an LED.

42. The shunt of claim 40 wherein the light source is adapted to transmit UV light.

43. The shunt of claim 40 wherein the light source comprises AlGaN.

44. The shunt of claim 40 wherein the light source is battery operated.

45. The shunt of claim 40 further comprising an antenna, wherein the light source is powered by the antenna.

46. The shunt of claim 40 further comprising a catheter, and wherein the light source is adapted to transmit light to the catheter.

47. The shunt of claim 46 wherein the catheter further comprises a wave guide, and wherein the light source is adapted to transmit light to the wave guide.

48. The shunt of claim 40 further comprising a proximal catheter and a distal catheter, and wherein the light source is located between the catheters.

49. The shunt of claim 48 further comprising a housing comprising a valve, wherein the housing is located between the catheters.

50. The shunt of claim 49 wherein the housing contains the light source.

51. The shunt of claim 49 wherein the light source is outside the housing.

52. The shunt of claim 51 wherein the light source is located proximal to the housing.

53. A method of manufacturing a hydrocephalus shunt having a valve component and a catheter component having a photocatalytic material, comprising the steps of:

a) attaching the catheter component to the valve component.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein the catheter comprises a base material having a surface, and the photocatalytic material is coated upon the surface.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein the coating is a sol-gel coating.

56. The method of claim 54 wherein the coating is applied by sonication.5

57. A hydrocephalus shunt comprising a light port.

58. The shunt of claim 57 further comprising a proximal catheter and a distal catheter, and wherein the light port is located between the catheters.

59. The shunt of claim 58 further comprising a housing comprising a valve, wherein the housing is located between the catheters.

60. The shunt of claim 59 wherein the housing contains the light port.

61. The shunt of claim 59 wherein the light port is outside the housing.

62. The shunt of claim 59 wherein the light port is located proximal to the housing.

63. A hydrocephalus shunt comprising a catheter having a surface having a silver coating thereon.

64. The shunt of claim 63 wherein the silver coating is present upon an inside surface of the catheter.

65. The shunt of claim 63 wherein the silver coating is present upon an outside surface of the catheter.

66. The shunt of claim 63 wherein the silver coating is present upon an outside surface of the catheter.

67. The shunt of claim 63 wherein the catheter comprises an inside surface, an outside surface and an inlet hole providing fluid connection therebetween, and wherein the silver coating is present upon a surface of the inlet hole.

68. The shunt of claim 63 wherein the catheter is made of a composite material comprising silver.

69. The shunt of claim 68 wherein the composite comprises poly(dimethylsiloxane).

70. A hydrocephalus shunt comprising a catheter comprising a memory metal.

71. The shunt of claim 70 wherein the memory metal is present upon an outer surface of the catheter.

72. The shunt of claim 71 wherein the memory metal comprises nickel and titanium.

73. The shunt of claim 72 wherein a portion of the memory metal an oxidized crystalline layer.