SHUNT FLUSHER
First Claim
1. A system for flushing a shunt catheter, the system comprising:
- a reservoir constructed and arranged to hold a volume of fluid, the reservoir adapted to communicate with the shunt catheter;
an occluder constructed and arranged to selectively and substantially block drainage from the catheter and from the reservoir; and
a flow passage from the reservoir to the catheter, wherein the reservoir is constructed and arranged to allow fluid therein to be pressurized whereby the fluid is rapidly released from the flow passage producing an impulse flow to flush the catheter.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A device and system for flushing a shunt catheter utilizes the available cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flush a blocked catheter. The CSF is pressurized to a predetermined amount and then allowed to suddenly, rapidly and forcefully purge any occlusions. The rapid release of CSF produces flow jets from the catheter pores into the ventricle. This impulse, or “cough”, will push and divert choroid plexus and/or other blockages away from the pores. The device and system may then be allowed to refill at a slow rate, thus reducing the possibility of rapid suction of fluid back into the system and the attendant possibility of drawing the choroid plexus back into the pores. The catheter at the proximal end may also include back-up pores that can be opened to restart flow from the ventricle should the primary pores remain blocked after a flushing attempt.
36 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for flushing a shunt catheter, the system comprising:
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a reservoir constructed and arranged to hold a volume of fluid, the reservoir adapted to communicate with the shunt catheter; an occluder constructed and arranged to selectively and substantially block drainage from the catheter and from the reservoir; and a flow passage from the reservoir to the catheter, wherein the reservoir is constructed and arranged to allow fluid therein to be pressurized whereby the fluid is rapidly released from the flow passage producing an impulse flow to flush the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A flushing device for a shunt catheter, the flushing device comprising:
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a reservoir constructed and arranged to hold a volume of fluid, the reservoir adapted to communicate with the shunt catheter and a drainage path; a valve body defining a conduit allowing fluid communication between the reservoir, the shunt catheter and the drainage path; a valve housing movable disposed within a recess formed in the valve body, wherein; in a first position of the valve housing, fluid communication between the reservoir, the shunt catheter and the drainage path is unobstructed; and in a second position of the valve housing, fluid communication with the drainage path is blocked, the valve housing comprising a check valve having a first position substantially blocking flow from the reservoir to the catheter, the check valve is adapted to open at a predetermined pressure of the pressurized fluid, thereby allowing fluid to be rapidly released producing an impulse flow to flush the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A catheter, comprising
a body having a lumen therethrough; -
a primary set of drain pores formed in the body and adapted to allow fluid communication with the lumen; a secondary set of drain pores formed in the body, with each drain pore of the secondary set of drain pores comprising a membrane adapted to close the pore, the membrane being constructed and arranged to be ruptured upon application of fluid pressure to open the secondary set of drain pores.
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17. A system for flushing a shunt catheter, the system comprising:
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a reservoir constructed and arranged to hold a volume of fluid, the reservoir adapted to communicate with the shunt catheter; a piston-cylinder arrangement communicates with the reservoir, with the piston being responsive to pressurized fluid from the reservoir to move to a position substantially blocking drainage from the catheter and from the reservoir; and a flow passage from the reservoir to the catheter, wherein the flow passage comprises a cross-sectional area that is smaller than a cross-sectional area of a lumen of the shunt catheter, wherein the reservoir is constructed and arranged to allow fluid therein to be pressurized whereby the fluid is rapidly released from the flow passage producing an impulse flow to flush the catheter. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification