Adjustable implantable valve having non-invasive position indicator
First Claim
1. A system for controlling the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid, comprising:
- an implantable fluid pressure relief valve having a housing, an adjustment member for setting the opening pressure threshold of said valve, a rotatable magnetic wrench means for adjusting said adjustment member, said relief valve also having means for limiting rotation of said magnetic wrench means to less than 360 degrees when said valve is in an implanted position; and
magnetic indicator means responsive to the position of said magnetic member for non-invasively indicating the position of said magnetic member to indicate the pressure threshold of said valve.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A non-invasively adjustable cerebrospinal fluid pressure relief valve includes a magnetized element which is positionable, through application of an external magnetic field, to permit post-implantation adjustment of the valve'"'"'s opening threshold pressure setting. An indicator for non-invasively ascertaining the relative adjustment setting of the valve following implantation includes a magnetic pointer which rotates to a position in alignment with the magnetic field produced by the magnetized element. To provide a reference against which the relative valve setting can be measured, the indicator includes an alignment structure which repeatably orients the indicator relative to the implanted valve.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for controlling the pressure of cerebrospinal fluid, comprising:
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an implantable fluid pressure relief valve having a housing, an adjustment member for setting the opening pressure threshold of said valve, a rotatable magnetic wrench means for adjusting said adjustment member, said relief valve also having means for limiting rotation of said magnetic wrench means to less than 360 degrees when said valve is in an implanted position; and magnetic indicator means responsive to the position of said magnetic member for non-invasively indicating the position of said magnetic member to indicate the pressure threshold of said valve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An indicator for indicating the relative pressure threshold setting of an implanted magnetically adjustable cerebrospinal fluid control valve having a magnetic movable pressure adjustment member, comprising:
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a relatively non-rotatably reference member; indexing means on said reference member for orienting said reference member relative to the implanted valve when said reference member is positioned adjacent the valve, said reference member and said indexing means thereby establishing a line of reference relative to the implanted valve; and a magnetic indicator rotatably mounted on said reference member for indicating the relative direction of magnetic fields associated with the valve adjustment member. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A valve position indicator for indicating the relative threshold pressure setting of an implanted valve for controlling the passage of body fluids of the type wherein a relatively rotatable magnetic member operatively associated with the valve is rotated by means of an externally applied magnetic field to adjust the relative setting of the valve, said indicator comprising:
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a relatively non-rotatable reference member; indexing means on said reference member for orienting said reference member relative to the implanted valve when said reference member is positioned adjacent the valve, said reference member and said indexing means thereby establishing a line of reference relative to the implanted valve; and magnetic indicator means rotatably mounted to said reference member for indicating the direction of applied magnetic fields, whereby, said indicator means indicate the direction of the field produced by the magnetic member of the valve to provide an indication of relative valve adjustment setting when said reference member is positioned adjacent the implanted valve. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. In an implantable valve for regulating the passage of body fluids from one location in the body to another, said valve having a housing with a fluid chamber therein, an inlet port for admitting fluid from said one location into said chamber, a discharge port for discharging fluid from said chamber to said another location, valve closure means within said chamber to restrict the flow of fluid through said chamber and a rotatable adjustment member for setting the opening pressure threshold of said valve closure means, the improvement comprising:
limiting means for limiting the rotation of said adjustment member to less than 360 degrees when said valve is in an implanted position. - View Dependent Claims (19)
Specification