Ascites valve

• US 5,520,632 A
• Filed: 04/11/1991
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Leveen
• Original Assignee: Robert Leveen
• Inventors: Leveen, Robert F., Leveen, Eric G.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIMELL, SAMUEL G
• Application Number:
  US07/683,821
• Time in Patent Office: 1,874 Days
• Field of Search: 604/8, 604/9, 604/10, 604/93, 604/128, 604/149, 138/120
• US Class Current: 604/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/006 Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves

Abstract

A device for the transfer of body fluids which accumulate in the peritoneum cavity into the vascular system comprising a peritoneal tube connected to the inlet chamber of a hollow plastic implanted valve assembly, causing a valve to open and passing the fluid under pressure into a second reservoir from where the fluid is conducted through a venous tubing which is connected to the jugular vein of the patient. The valve assembly comprises a plastic housing with an inlet and outlet, the peritoneal tube being secured to the inlet leading to an inlet reservoir located within the valve housing and the venous tube being secured to the outlet leading from the outlet reservoir located within the valve housing. The valve housing defining a valve seat and having a flexible diaphragm valve which rests against the valve seat and moves away from said valve seat in response to pressure exerted thereon to permit flow of the body fluid from the peritoneum through the valve housing and into the venous tubing which is threaded into a major intrathoracic vein via the internal jugular vein or other alternate access veins.

Claims

1. A device for the transfer of body fluids which accumulate in the peritoneum cavity into the vascular system comprising a peritoneal tube connected to an inlet located on the side of a hollow plastic flat surfaced implantable valve means, pressure differentials in fluids from the peritoneum cavity causing said valve means to open and pass the fluid under pressure therethrough into a venous tubing connected to an outlet located on the side of the flat surfaced valve means and through said venous tubing, said venous tubing being provided with a rigid radiopaque marker means and a ferrite means located near the distal end of the venous tubing, the tip of which is positioned in a major intrathoracic vein through an accessible vein outside the thorax of a patient, said valve means comprising a plastic housing with inlet means and outlet means and a valve seat means, said peritoneal tube mounted to said inlet means and a venous tube mounted to said outlet means, said valve means including a valve member having a valve stem and a flexible diaphragm section on one end of said valve stem and a strut assembly on its other end, said flexible diaphragm section resting against said valve seat means in a normally closed position, said flexible diaphragm section moving away from said valve seat means in response to pressure exerted thereon to permit flow of the body fluid from the peritoneum through the valve housing and into the venous tube which empties into an intrathoracic vein.

2. A device for the transfer of body fluids which accumulate in the peritoneum cavity into the vascular system comprising a peritoneal tube connected to an inlet of a thin disc shaped plastic implantable valve means, said valve means comprising a plastic cylindrical housing defining a chamber with inlet means and a second chamber with outlet means, a valve seat means mounted on an intermediate support member secured in said housing, a moveable valve member seated on said valve seat in a normally closed position and cover members mounted on each end of said cylindrical housing, one of said cover members holding a silicon injection plug, pressure differentials in fluids from the peritoneum cavity causing said valve member to open and pass the fluid into and through a venous tubing which is connected through the access vein of a patient so that the tip lies in a major thoracic vein, said peritoneal tube mounted to said inlet means and a venous tube mounted to said outlet means, said valve member including a flexible diaphragm section which rests against said valve seat means in a normally closed position and which diaphragm section moves away from said valve seat means in response to pressure exerted thereon to permit flow of the body fluid from the peritoneum through the valve housing and into the venous tube which empties into an intrathoracic vein.

3. An implantable valve for the treatment of ascites comprising a thin disc shaped housing with integral valve seat means defining reservoir chambers with respective inlet port means and exit port means, top and bottom covers secured to said housing, said top cover defining an aperture holding a soft silicon injection plug bonded thereto, said plug being self-sealing after needle puncture, a moveable valve seated in said housing seated on said valve seat means and held on said valve seat means in a normally closed condition, said moveable valve comprises a valve stem, a plurality of elastomeric struts extending outwardly from said valve stem, a rim member secured to said elastomeric struts, the thickness of said rim member together with the initial stress on the elastomeric struts setting the opening pressure, sensitivity and resistance to flow of the moveable valve and a diaphragm means mounted to one end of said valve stem, said moveable valve being adapted to move in response to differential pressure of 1-4 cm of water allowing fluid to flow from said inlet port means into said housing chamber and out said outlet port means.

4. A valve according to claim 3 wherein said inlet port and exit port means are hollow nipple members which extend outward from said housing.

5. A valve according to claim 3 wherein said diaphragm means is a conical shaped or curvilinar dome member adapted to seat on a conforming valve seat means.

6. A valve according to claim 3 wherein said housing is made of transparent biocompatible plastic.

7. A valve according to claim 6 wherein said transparent biocompatible plastic is polysulphone.

8. A valve for patient inplantation suitable for the treatment of ascites and hydrocephalus comprising a thin housing with an integrally molded conical valve seat and a cylindrical valve retaining wall encircling said conical valve seat, said housing defining separated chambers, one of which is provided with inlet port means and another being provided with exit port means, top and bottom covers secured to said housing, at least one of said covers being provided with an aperture containing an injection plug, a moveable diaphragm valve seated in said housing and held in place by projection means extending from one of said covers, said moveable diaphragm valve being normally seated on a valve seat conforming to the shape of the diaphragm and held on said conforming valve seat in a normally closed condition, said valve being adapted to move away from said valve seat in response to a preset differential fluid pressure which can vary from 1 to 20 cm of water allowing fluid to flow from said inlet port means into said housing and out said outlet port means.

9. A shunt assembly for draining body fluids which accumulate in the peritoneum cavity of a patient into the venous system using the differential pressure between major intrathoracic veins and the atmospheric pressure shared by other fluids in the body comprising a peritoneal tube connected to the inlet chamber of a plastic valve means with one end being positioned in the peritoneum, so that pressurized fluid transported from the peritoneum cavity will cause the valve means to open and pass the fluid under pressure into an outlet valve chamber and through a venous tubing which is connected thereto and into an access vein in the thorax of the patient, said valve means comprising a rigid plastic thin disc shaped housing defining two separated chambers, one with inlet port means and the other with exit port means, top and bottom planar lids secured to said housing, said top lid defining an aperture holding a soft self sealing elastomeric plug, a moveable elastomeric valve member seated in said housing adapted to move allowing fluid to flow from said inlet port housing chamber and into said outlet port housing chamber, said elastomeric valve member moveably seated in said housing, said valve means also including a stem with a flexible diaphragm means secured to one end which rests against a valve seat formed in said housing and which flexible diaphragm means moves away from said valve seat in response to a differential pressure exerted on it thereby permitting flow of the body fluid from the peritoneum through the valve housing and outlet ports through the venous tube into an intrathoracic vein.

10. A shunt assembly for draining body fluids which accumulate in the peritoneum cavity of a patient into the venous system using the differential pressure between major intrathoracic veins and the atmospheric pressure shared by other fluids in the body comprising a peritoneal tube connected to the inlet chamber of a plastic valve means with one end being positioned in the peritoneum, so that pressurized fluid transported from the peritoneum cavity will cause the valve means to open and pass the fluid under pressure into an outlet valve chamber and through a venous tubing which is connected thereto and into an access vein in the thorax of the patient, said venous tubing including a soft self-sealing silicon bubble positioned near said valve plastic housing outlet means, said valve means comprising a rigid plastic thin disc shaped housing defining two separated chambers, one with inlet port means and the other with exit port means, top and bottom planar lids secured to said housing, a moveable elastomeric valve member seated in said housing adapted to move allowing fluid to flow from said inlet port housing chamber and into said outlet port housing chamber, said elastomeric valve member moveably seated in said housing, said valve means also including a stem with a flexible diaphragm means secured to one end which rests against a valve seat formed in said housing and which flexible diaphragm means moves away from said valve seat in response to a differential pressure exerted on it thereby permitting flow of the body fluid from the peritoneum through the valve housing and outlet ports through the venous tube into an intrathoracic vein.