Intercranial pressure regulator valve
First Claim
1. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid from one location in the body to another location, comprising:
- a bio-compatible housing;
a flexible bio-compatible diaphragm dividing theinterior of said housing into first and second interior chambers;
inlet port means for establishing fluid communication between said first interior chamber and the one location;
output port means for establishing fluid communication between said second interior chamber and the other locatin;
a bio-compatible valve seat member carried on said diaphragm for movement therewith, said valve seat defining a fluid passageway opening from said first interior chamber to said second interior chamber and having a first valving surface concentrically oriented with respect to the axis of said fluid passageway, said valve seat and diaphragm having a static position within said housing in the absence of a pressure differential between said chambers;
means comprising a bio-compatible valve closure member in said first interior chamber axially aligned with said fluid passageway, said valve closure member having a second valving surface concentrically oriented with respect to the axis of said fluid passageway, said second valving surface coacting with said first valving surface to form a constricting portion within said passageway between said first and second chambers whcn said valve seat is in said static position to at least partially close said fluid passageway; and
said diaphragm being displaceable from said static position in a direction to move said valve seat member along said axis of said fluidpassageway and away from said valve closure member in response to a predetermined minimum threshold pressure differential between said first interior chamber and said second interior chamber to at least partially open said fluid passageway to increase fluid flow between said first and second interior chambers to maintain said pressure differential.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An intercranial pressure regulator valve adapted particularly for the treatment of hydrocephalus and the draining of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a ventricle in the brain to another location in the patient'"'"'s body includes a movable, flexible diaphragm having first and second surfaces of substantial area which are contacted by the fluid which is being drained and the fluid in the area to which the CSF is to be drained, respectively. A valve seat on the diaphragm is movable therewith and the valve seat includes a passage for the flow of the fluid which is being drained through the diaphragm. A ball closure valve is positioned on the cephalad side of the diaphragm. When the pressure differential on both surfaces of the diaphragm is low, the valve seat flexes into engagement with the ball closure valve to close the passage. When the pressure differential between these two surfaces increases, the diaphragm flexes in response to the increase such that the valve seat moves away from the ball closure valve to open the passage and drain the CSF from the ventricle to the other location in the body.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid from one location in the body to another location, comprising:
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a bio-compatible housing; a flexible bio-compatible diaphragm dividing theinterior of said housing into first and second interior chambers; inlet port means for establishing fluid communication between said first interior chamber and the one location; output port means for establishing fluid communication between said second interior chamber and the other locatin; a bio-compatible valve seat member carried on said diaphragm for movement therewith, said valve seat defining a fluid passageway opening from said first interior chamber to said second interior chamber and having a first valving surface concentrically oriented with respect to the axis of said fluid passageway, said valve seat and diaphragm having a static position within said housing in the absence of a pressure differential between said chambers; means comprising a bio-compatible valve closure member in said first interior chamber axially aligned with said fluid passageway, said valve closure member having a second valving surface concentrically oriented with respect to the axis of said fluid passageway, said second valving surface coacting with said first valving surface to form a constricting portion within said passageway between said first and second chambers whcn said valve seat is in said static position to at least partially close said fluid passageway; and said diaphragm being displaceable from said static position in a direction to move said valve seat member along said axis of said fluidpassageway and away from said valve closure member in response to a predetermined minimum threshold pressure differential between said first interior chamber and said second interior chamber to at least partially open said fluid passageway to increase fluid flow between said first and second interior chambers to maintain said pressure differential. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 28)
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6. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid from one location in the body to another location, comprising:
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a housing; a flexible bio-compatible diaphragm dividing the interior of said housing into first and second interior chamber; inlet port means for establishing fluid communication between said first interior chamber and the one location; outlet port means for establishing fluid communication between said second interior chamber and the other location; a bio-compatible valve seat carried on said diaphragm for movement therewith, said valve seat defining a fluid passageway opening from said first interior chamber to said second interior chamber, and said valve seat and diaphragm having a static position within said housing in the absence of a pressure differential between said chambers; means comprising a bio-compatible valve closure member in said first interior chamber for coacting with said valve seat when said valve seat is in said static position to at least partially close said fluid passageway; said diaphragm being displaceable from said static position in a direction away from said valve closure member in response to a predetermined minimum threshold pressure differential between said first interior chamber and said second interior chamber to at least partially open said fluid passageway to increase fluid flow between said first and second interior chambers; and adjusting means for adjusting the position of said valve closure member within said first chamber to vary said threshold pressure differential at which said increased flow occurs. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A valve for regulating the flow of fluid from one location in the body to another location, comprising:
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a housing; a flexible bio-compatible diaphragm dividing the interior of said housing into first and second interior chambers; inlet port means for establishing fluid communication between said first interior chamber and the one location; outlet port means for establishing fluid communication between said second interior chamber and the other location; a bio-compatible valve seat carried on said diaphragm for movement therewith, said valve seat defining a fluid passageway opening from said first interior chamber to said second interior chamber, and said valve seat and diaphragm having a static position within said housing in the absence of a pressure differential between said chambers; means including a bio-compatible valve closure member in said first interior chamber for engaging said valve seat when said valve seat is in said static position to close said fluid passageway, said diaphragm being displaced by said closure member from an unstressed position to bias said valve seat into engagement with said valve closure member; said diaphragm being displaceable from said static position in a direction away from said valve closure member in response to a predetermined minimum threshold pressure differential between said first interior chamber and said second interior chamber overcoming said bias of said diaphragm to at least partially open said fluid passageway to increase fluid flow between said first and second interior chambers; and adjusting means for adjusting the position of said valve closure member within said first chamber to vary said threshold differential at which said increased flow occurs. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of draining body fluids from one location in the body to another location to regulate the pressure of the fluids, comprising:
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communicating the fluids at said one location with a first location of substantial area on a movable member; closing a passage which communicates said first surface with a second surface of substantial area on the movable member when the differential in pressure between said surfaces is at a first lower pressure differential by moving said movable member and a valve seat mounted thereon relative to and into engagement with a substantially stationary valve closure means; opening said passage to communicate said first surface with said second surface with the pressure differential between said surfaces is at a second higher pressure differential by moving said movable member and said valve seat relative to and apart from said stationary valve closure means to drain the fluids from said one location to said another location; and adjusting said valve closure means to adjust the force by which said valve seat engages said valve closure means to alter said second higher pressure differential.
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29. A surgically-implantable shunt valve for venting cerebrospinal fluid in the treatment of hydrocephalus and for shunting other body fluids, said valve comprising
a housing constructed of a surgically-implantable, non-metallic material, a diaphragm support consisting of a single flexible diaphragm mounted within said housing, a plate mounted on said flexible diaphragm, said plate being provided with a circular aperture and said diaphragm having an opening aligned with said aperture, said diaphragm being generally coplanar with said plate, said diaphragm and plate dividing said housing into an inlet and an outlet chamber that communicate through said aperture, said inlet and outlet chambers being generally free of blind cavities so as to inhibit collection of debris, a valve element of diameter larger than said aperture, said valve element residing on the inlet side of said aperture, means for biasing said valve element against the circular periphery of said aperture so as to keep said aperture closed until the cerebrospinal fluid pressure in said inlet chamber exceeds a preselected popping pressure and so as to open said aperture when said popping pressure is exceeded so as to vent cerebrospinal fluid through said aperture into said outlet chamber, said popping pressure being on the order of cerebrospinal fluid pressures (i.e., less than 300 mm H2 O,) said housing including inlet and outlet ports communicating with said inlet and outlet chambers respectively for connecting said inlet and outlet chambers to external catheters or other fluid conduits, and screw means for making external adjustments to said preselected popping pressure.
Specification