PLUG VALVE FOR PHYSIOLOGICAL SHUNT SYSTEMS

• US 3,827,439 A
• Filed: 10/30/1972
• Issued: 08/06/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harold D. Portnoy, Rudolf R. Schulte
• Original Assignee: Harold D. Portnoy, Rudolf R. Schulte
• Inventors: Schulte, Rudolf R., Portnoy, Harold D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truluck, Dalton L.
• Application Number:
  US05/302,181
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 128/348,35V,274,231,232 251/342
• US Class Current: 604/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/006 Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/22 Valves or arrangement of valves A61M39/02, A61M39/0247, A61M39/16 take precedence; regulating valves in infusion systems A61M5/16881; in devices worn by the patient for the reception of urine, faeces, catamenial or other discharge, or in colostomy devices A61F5/4405

Abstract

A valve utilizing a mechanically retainable plug for the stoppage of drainage flow through a shunt system installed in a human body. The valve includes a valve body with an internal cavity and a first and a second port entering the cavity. These ports are connected to conduits which conduct fluids to be drained, for example, to a catheter and to a shunt tube. A valve seat is formed peripherally around one of the ports so that fluid flowing through this respective port passes through the valve seat. A plug is supported in the cavity so as to be movable toward and away from this port. The plug has a set of dimensions which is oversized relative to the valve seat so as to form a fit which will hold the plug in said port to close the valve at the valve seat. A compressible reservoir may be connected to one of the ports to function as a source of elevated pressure for the valve to remove the plug from the port. A check valve may be utilized with the reservoir to prevent backflow out of the reservoir when it is compressed. The valve may discharge into a shunt, which shunt may include a check valve that prevents reverse flow of fluids into the system.

Claims

1. In a physiological shunt system for implantation in the body including a reservoir and a valve, the reservoir having a chamber in a compressible body for connection to the valve so that one of the ports of the valve will be connected to said chamber, whereby compression of the reservoir body will increase pressure in the valve to open it to flow, the improvement comprising the said valve for stoppage of drainage flow through the shunt system, which valve is adapted to be implanted in its entirety beneath the skin and to be closed by palpation contact exerted on the skin, said valve comprising:

a valve body having an internal cavity, and a first port and a second port entering said cavity;

a valve seat formed peripherally around one of said ports so that fluid flowing through its respective port passes through the valve seat, said valve seat having a valving axis;

a plug in said cavity movable along said valving axis toward and away from the valving surface, the valve seat and plug having a lateral dimension which form an interference with one another when the plug is forced axially inside the valve seat, which interference fit retains the plug in the valve seat while the plug closes the same, movement toward the valve seat being attainable by exertion of palpation contact against the skin and thereby upon the valve body along the said valving axis; and

deflectible means supporting the plug in the cavity, which means permits the plug to be pressed into the valve seat by said palpation contact with the skin, sufficient fluid pressure in one of said ports as a consequence of compressing the chamber of the reservoir causing the plug to be removed from the valve seat so as to open the port respective to the valve seat.

2. A valve according to claim 1 in which said deflectible means comprises a flexible wall which forms part of said body, deflection of which presses the plug inside the valve seat.

3. A valve according to claim 2 in which, in the absence of distortive external forces on said flexible wall the plug is spaced from the valve seat, whereby fluid can flow through the valve from one port to the other.

4. A valve according to claim 1 in which a shoulder is formed adjacent to the valve seat, spaced from the end of the respective port which is the closer to the plug, and in which the plug comprises a stem portion and a bulb portion, the lateral dimensions of the stem portion being less than that of the bulb portion and the axial length of the stem portion being at least as great as the spacing of the shoulder from the said end, whereby the bulb portion can be pressed through the valve seat to engage the shoulder and thereby be retained against removal from the valving surface.

5. A valve according to claim 4 in which the lateral dimensions of the bulb are greater than the respective lateral dimensions of the valve seat.

6. A valve according to claim 4 in which the lateral dimensions of both the stem and the bulb are greater than the respective lateral dimensions of the valve seat.

7. A valve according to claim 1 in which said deflectible means comprises a resilienTly flexible member inside the cavity and mounted to the body, and in which the body includes a flexible wall which can be deflected to press against said deflectible means, whereby distortion of the flexible wall by external force will deflect the flexible member and move the plug into the valve seat, and whereby pressure in the port around which the valve seat is disposed will eject the plug from the valve seat.

8. A valve according to claim 7 in which an elastic diaphragm is provided across said cavity, the said one port being formed as a perforation therein, and the valve seat being formed as a boundary of said perforation, the said valve seat being stretchable to pass the plug.

9. A valve according to claim 8 in which a substantial area of said diaphragm is exposed to pressure at the said one port, whereby to receive a force to cause stretching of the valve seat.

10. In combination:

a valve for the stoppage of drainage flow in a shunt system for the human body, which valve is adapted to be implanted in its entirety beneath the skin and to be closed by palpation contact exerted on the skin, said valve comprising;

a valve body having an internal cavity, and a first port and a second port entering said cavity;

a valve seat formed peripherally around one of said ports so that fluid flowing through its respective port passes through the valve seat, said valve seat having a valving axis;

a plug in said cavity movable along said valving axis toward and away from the valving surface, the valve seat and plug having a lateral dimension which form an interference with one another when the plug is forced axially inside the valve seat, which interference fit retains the plug in the valve seat while the plug closes the same, movement toward the valve seat being attainable by exertion of palpation contact against the skin and thereby upon the valve body along the said valving axis; and

deflectible means supporting the plug in the cavity, which means permits the plug to be pressed into the valve seat by said palpation contact with the skin, sufficient fluid pressure in one of said ports causing the plug to be removed from the valve seat so as to open the port respective to the valve seat; and

a reservoir having a chamber in a compressible body connected to the valve so that one of the valve ports is connected to said chamber, whereby compression of the reservoir body increases the pressure in the valve to remove the plug from the valve seat.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which a pair of reservoir ports enter said chamber, one of said reservoir ports being connected to a valve port, and the other being connected to a check valve which permits flow only into the chamber.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which a pair of reservoir ports enter said chamber, one of said reservoir ports being connected to a valve port, and the other reservoir port being connected to a catheter for drainage of fluid.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which the other reservoir port connects to said catheter through a check valve which permits flow only into the chamber.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which the other of said valve ports is connected to a shunt tube for discharging fluid passed by the valve.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 in which said shunt tube includes check valve means permitting fluid to flow only out of the tube and away from the valve.

16. Apparatus according to claim 14 in which the other reservoir port connects to said catheter through a check valve which permits flow only into the chamber.

17. Apparatus according to claim 12 in which the other of said valve ports is connected to a shunt tube for discharging fluid passed by the valve.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 in which the other reservoir port connects to said catheter through a check valve which permits flow only into the chamber.

19. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the plug and the valve seat are at least in part made of radio-opaque material, whereby the oPen or closed condition of the valve can be visualized by x-ray means, surrounding material being non-radio-opaque.