Cerebrospinal fluid shunt system

• US 4,950,232 A
• Filed: 07/11/1988
• Issued: 08/21/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Surelab Superior Research Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Surelab Superior Research Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Ruzicka, Milan, Ruzicka, Petr
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): Maglione, C.
• Application Number:
  US07/220,365
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 604/6-8, 604/43, 604/45, 604/104-105, 604/170, 604/265, 604/268, 604/280-283
• US Class Current: 604/43
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/84 Drainage tubes; Aspiration tips for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/90; for surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0063 having means, e.g. stylets, mandrils, rods or wires to reinforce or adjust temporarily the stiffness, column strength or pushability of catheters which are already inserted into the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0464 Cerebrospinal fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/006 Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves

Abstract

A catheter useful in draining cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricles of a brain. The catheter utilizes a series of holes arranged in a helical pattern at the forward or ventricular end portion of the catheter. Exterior grooves may be provided in the ventricular end of the catheter within which the holes are protectively sheltered from contact with surrounding ventricular tissue. The catheter, and particularly its ventricular end, may be capable of elastic elongation upon insertion of a rigid stylet within the catheter, the diameter of the ventricular end portion become reduced in response to its axial elongation to facilitate disengagement of the catheter with the surrounding ventricular tissue to permit the catheter to be withdrawn.

Claims

1. A cerebrospinal fluid shunt system comprising a ventricular catheter, a flexible drainage tube for carrying cerebrospinal fluid from the catheter to a desired body location, connector means connecting the catheter and drainage tube and providing fluid communication therebetween, and flexible tubular cover means carried exteriorly of the drainage tube and from which the drainage tube can be drawn.

2. A cerebrospinal fluid shunt system including a ventricular catheter comprising a length of biologically acceptable tubing having a ventricular end portion adapted for insertion in the ventricle of a brain, the ventricular end portion of the catheter having an exterior surface provided with at least one helical groove formed therein and a closed tip, a plurality of holes formed through the wall of the catheter within the grooves, the ventricular end portion of the catheter being axially elastically extensible, stylet means insertable within the catheter and having an end adapted to contact and press against the tip of the catheter to cause the ventricular end portion thereof to extend elastically with resultant reduction in its diameter for facilitating insertion or removal of the catheter into or from a ventricle, a flexible protective sheath sheathing the catheter and including means enabling the sheath to be drawn rearwardly of the catheter to expose the ventricular end portion thereof, a drainage tube for carrying cerebrospinal fluid from the catheter to a desired body location, connector means connecting the catheter and drainage tube and providing fluid communication therebetween, and flexible tubular cover means carried exteriorly of the drainage tube and from which the drainage tube can be drawn.

3. The shunt system of claim 2 wherein the sheath and tubular cover have adjacent, joined ends providing a continuous sterile covering for the shunt system.

4. A ventricular catheter comprising a length of biologically acceptable tubing having a ventricular end portion adapted for insertion in the ventricle of a brain, the ventricular end portion having an exterior surface provided with at least one helical groove formed therein, and a closed tip, a plurality of holes formed through the walls of the catheter within the at least one groove, the ventricular end portion of the catheter being axially elastically extensible;

and stylet means insertable within the catheter and having an end adapted to contact and press against the tip of the catheter to cause the ventricular end portion thereof to extend elastically with resultant reduction of its diameter, the diameter of the ventricular end portion being larger than that of the catheter portion contiguous thereto by an amount such that extension of the ventricular end portion of the catheter by stylet insertion is capable of reducing the diameter of the ventricular end portion to approximately that of the contiguous catheter portion.

5. A ventricular catheter having an end portion adapted to be received in a ventricle of the brain to drain cerebrospinal fluid therefrom, the end portion having walls provided with a plurality of drainage holes arranged in helically extending patterns to receive cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricle, the catheter including a flexible, protective sheath enclosing at least the end portion thereof and having holes adjacent its forward end in flow communication with drainage holes of the catheter to transmit cerebrospinal fluid to the catheter and to thus signal the onset of fluid flow from a ventricle, the sheath including an easily torn part line at the forward end thereof to enable it to be pulled rearwardly to open the part line and permit the sheath to be drawn rearwardly of the catheter to expose the catheter end.

6. A cerebrospinal fluid shunt system comprising a ventricular catheter having a forward ventricular end portion adapted for reception in a ventricle of the brain to drain cerebrospinal fluid therefrom, a flexible protective sheath enclosing at least the ventricular end portion of the catheter and having an easily parted forward end and including means enabling it to be drawn rearwardly of the catheter to expose the ventricular end portion thereof, a drainage tube for carrying cerebrospinal fluid from the catheter to a desired body location, connector means connecting the catheter and drainage tube and providing fluid communication therebetween, and flexible tubular cover means carried exteriorly of the drainage tube and from which the drainage tube can be drawn.

7. The shunt system of claim 6 wherein the sheath and tubular cover have adjacent, joined ends providing a continuous sterile covering for the shunt system.

8. A ventricular catheter having an end portion having a closed terminal end and adapted to be received in a ventricle of the brain to drain cerebrospinal fluid therefrom, the end portion having walls provided with a plurality of drainage holes arranged to define helically extending patterns to receive cerebrospinal fluid from a ventricle, stylet means insertable within the catheter and having an end adapted to contact and press against the tip of the catheter, and a flexible protective sheath enclosing at least the closed terminal end portion of the catheter and including an easily torn part line at its forward end, the sheath including means enabling it to be pulled rearwardly of the catheter as the latter is supported by the stylet to open the part line and permit the sheath to be drawn rearwardly of the catheter to expose the catheter end.

9. The catheter of claim 8 wherein said part line extends rearwardly along the length of the sheath to facilitate easy removal of the sheath from the catheter.

10. A ventricular catheter having an end portion having a closed terminal end and adapted to be received in a ventricle of the brain to drain cerebrospinal fluid therefrom, the end portion having walls provided with a plurality of drainage holes arranged to define helically extending patterns to receive cerebrospinal fluid from a ventricle, and a drainage tube for carrying cerebrospinal fluid from the catheter to a desired body location, connector means connecting the catheter and drainage tube and providing fluid communication therebetween, and flexible tubular cover means carried exteriorly of the drainage tube and from which the drainage tube can be drawn.

11. The shunt system of claim 10 including biocide means carried by the drainage tube for preventing the growth of harmful microorganisms therein.

12. A ventricular catheter having walls defining a longitudinally elastic ventricular end portion having a hollow interior and adapted to be received in a ventricle, the walls having spaced drainage holes therethrough to transmit cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricle to the hollow interior of the catheter when the ventricular end portion thereof is received in a ventricle, and bladder means comprising a plurality of elongated pressurizable bladders carried by the wall and positioned to stiffen the ventricular end portion, when pressurized, against lateral collapse without substantial increase in diameter of the ventricular end portion, said bladders being spaced apart in parallel relation to one another and positioned in unobstructing relationship to the drainage holes, the bladder means including means remote from the plurality of bladders for pressurizing and depressurizing the bladders.

13. A ventricular catheter having walls defining a longitudinally elastic ventricular end portion having a hollow interior and adapted to be received in a ventricle, the walls having spaced drainage holes therethrough arranged in one or more helical lines for receiving cerebrospinal fluid from the ventricle, and bladder means comprising at least one elongated pressurizable bladder carried by the wall and positioned to stiffen the ventricular end portion, when pressurized, against lateral collapse without substantial increase in diameter of the ventricular end portion and without occlusion of said drainage holes, the bladder being carried helically of the ventricular end portion between helical lines of the drainage holes, the bladder means including means remote from the at least one bladder for pressurizing and depressurizing the bladder.