Dual Channel Shunt Device and Method for Ventriculo-Peritoneal Shunting of Bloody Cerebrospinal Fluid
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dual channel shunt device (30) and method allow for the easy and safe draining of first bloody and then clear hydrocephalic fluid (28) from the brain. A burr hole (22) is drilled to allow a catheter (14) to access the lateral ventricle (12) and then a tube (26) is run under the scalp (26) to the dual channel device (30) and then from the dual channel device (30) through another tube (18) to drain into the peritoneal cavity (36). The first channel (26a, 26b) comprises an on-off switch (32,60) coupled with an anti-siphon device (64). The second channel (26b, 18b) comprises a pressure resistant valve (34) offering a resistance in the range of 40-80 Millimeters of water. Initially the bloody fluid (28) is drained through the on/off switch (32). When the fluid (28) has cleared, as determined by a CT scan, the surgeon turns off the on-off switch (32) thereby diverting the clear fluid (28) through the pressure resistant valve (34) into the peritoneal cavity (36).
37 Citations
12 Claims
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1. (canceled)
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8. (canceled)
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11. An apparatus (30) for draining hydrocephalic fluid (28) from a cavity (12) in the brain of a patient (10) through a shunt line (14, 28, 18) to a fluid receiver (36), said apparatus (30) comprising:
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a first pathway having substantially no fluid resistance (26A, 18A) for initially passing said hydrocephalic fluid (28) to said receiver (36) when said fluid (28) includes substantial amounts of blood; an on/off switch (32) located in said first pathway (26A, 18A); a second pathway (26B, 18B) connected in parallel with said first pathway (26A, 18A) for passing said hydrocephalic fluid (28) to said fluid reservoir (36) when said fluid (28) is substantially clear of blood; and
,a pressure resistance valve (34) located in said second pathway (26B, 18B) for introducing a substantial amount of resistance to fluid (28) in said second pathway (26A, 16A), wherein bloody hydrocephalic fluid (28) initially flows through said first pathway (26A, 16A) until it has been determined that said hydrocephalic fluid (28) is substantially clear of blood at which point said on/off switch (32) is turned off and blood free hydrocephalic fluid (28) flow is then diverted from said first pathway (26A, 18A) to said second pathway (26B, 18B) and from there to said fluid receiver (36). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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12. A method of shunting hydrocephalic fluid (28) from a cavity (12) in the brain of a patient (10) via a shunt line (14, 26, 18) to a hydrocephalic fluid receiving reservoir (36), said method comprising the steps of:
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a. initially passing the flow of said fluid (28), when it contains significant amounts of blood, through an on/off switch (32) located in a first pathway having substantially no fluid resistance (14, 26, 26a, 18a, 18) to said receiving reservoir (36); b. determining when said fluid (28) has become substantially clear of blood; and
,c. subsequently diverting said clear fluid (28) through a pressure resistant valve (34) located in a second pathway (14, 26, 26b, 18b, 18) parallel to said first pathway (14, 26, 26a, 18a, 18) to said receiving reservoir (36) after it has been determined that said fluid (28) is substantially clear of blood as determined in step b above, wherein clear fluid (28) passing through said second pathway (14, 26, 26b, 18b, 18) encounters significant resistance up to a predetermined pressure so that said patient experiences substantially normal intracranial pressures after said fluid is substantially clear of blood. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification