Ascites valve

• US 5,830,172 A
• Filed: 12/04/1995
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric G. Leveen, Harry H. Leveen
• Original Assignee: Eric G. Leveen, Harry H. Leveen
• Inventors: Leveen, Eric G., Leveen, Harry H.
• Primary Examiner(s): RIMELL, SAMUEL G
• Application Number:
  US08/566,972
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 604/8, 604/9, 604/10, 604/93, 604/128, 604/149
• 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 chamber 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 shunt assembly for the transfer of body fluids which accumulate in a peritoneum cavity of a patient into a vascular system of the patient comprising a peritoneal tube connected to an inlet valve 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 a thorax of the patient, said valve means comprising a thin rigid transparent plastic housing defining two separated chambers, one chamber being provided with inlet port means comprising an opened faced conduit and the other chamber being provided with exit port means comprising an opened faced conduit, top and bottom covers removably secured to said housing allowing access to respective chambers when removed from said housing, a moveable valve seated in said housing adapted to move allowing fluid to flow from said inlet port housing chamber, past said valve and into said outlet port housing chamber said moveable valve member comprising a flexible conical shaped diaphragm means which rests against a valve seat formed in said housing between said outlet valve chamber and said inlet valve chamber, said valve diaphragm means moving 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 through the venous tube into an intrathoracic vein.

2. A shunt assembly according to claim 1 wherein said diaphragm means includes flexible strut means comprising a plurality of flexible struts secured at one end to a hollow conical member and a rim support member secured to a distal end of said struts.

3. A shunt assembly according to claim 2 wherein said rim support member is circular and defines a downwardly projecting flange from the circumference of said rim support member.

4. A shunt assembly according to claim 2 wherein said plurality of struts are at least four struts.

5. A shunt assembly according to claim 1 wherein said conical valve means defines a stepped interior chamber.

6. A shunt assembly according to claim 5 wherein said conical valve means stepped interior chamber defines an angled end.

7. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said valve housing is constructed of polysulfone.

8. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said valve means is constructed of silicon rubber.

9. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein said venous tubing has a tip surface bonded with heparin.

10. An assembly according to claim 1 wherein a hydrophilic colloid is bonded to the surface of the venous tubing.

11. A device for transfer of body fluids which accumulate in a peritoneum cavity into a vascular system comprising a peritoneal tube connected to an inlet of a transparent thin rigid plastic implantable valve housing holding a moveable valve means therein, said valve housing being implantable in the subcutaneous tissue of the patient, 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 of the valve means, a tip of said venous tubing being positioned in a major intrathoracic vein of a patient, said plastic housing including an inlet conduit with an open faced lumen and an outlet conduit with an open faced lumen with the axis of both conduits being substantially parallel to each other, said housing defining an inlet chamber communicating with said inlet conduit and an outlet chamber communicating with said outlet conduit, a valve means positioned between and separating said inlet and outlet chambers, said peritoneal tube being mounted to said inlet conduit and covering said open faced lumen and a venous tube mounted to said outlet conduit and covering said open faced lumen, said valve means including a valve member having a flexible diaphragm section which rests against a valve seat in said housing in a normally closed position 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 tube which empties into an intrathoracic vein.

12. A device for the transfer of body fluids as claimed in claim 11 wherein said valve seat has a truncated cone shape with a cylindrical wall positioned from the base of the truncated cone to form an angled space between said valve seat and said cylindrical wall.

13. An implantable valve for the treatment of ascites comprising a thin transparent disc shaped housing with integral valve seat means separating inlet and outlet reservoir chambers, each of said reservoir chambers communicating with respective axially aligned open faced conduit port means, top and bottom covers secured to said housing respectively closing said outlet and inlet chambers, said top cover being provided with marking indicia and defining a recess which fits on a nipple formed on said housing so that said top cover is always aligned to show fluid flow direction, 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 valve being adapted to move in response to differential pressure of at least 1-4 cm of water allowing fluid to flow into and out of said housing chambers.

14. A one piece valve according to claim 13 wherein said moveable valve comprises a center support member, a plurality of elastomeric struts extending outwardly from said center support member, a circular rim member secured to the end of said elastomeric struts, said rim member being provided with a flange which extends transverse to a plane of the rim member and a frustrum conical diaphragm member mounted to said center support member, said diaphragm member defining a chamber with an inner wall defining said chamber being stepped to seat on a conforming valve seat means.

15. A valve according to claim 14 wherein said disc shaped housing is a transparent biocompatible plastic constructed of polysulphone.

16. A valve for implantation in the subcutaneous tissue of a patient suitable for the treatment of ascites and hydrocephalus comprising a thin transparent rigid plastic housing with an integrally molded conical valve seat and a cylindrical valve retaining wall encircling said conical valve seat and being spaced therefrom, said housing defining separated chambers, one of which is provided with an inlet port conduit formed with an open upper face and another chamber being provided with an exit port conduit formed with an open upper face, said inlet port conduit and said exit port conduit being positioned axially parallel to each other, top and bottom transparent covers secured to said housing enclosing said respective chambers, a moveable diaphragm valve seated in said housing on said valve seat, said moveable diaphragm valve being normally seated on a valve seat conforming to a shape of the diaphragm valve in a closed condition, said diaphragm 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 through said inlet conduit port into said housing past said diaphragm valve and out said exit port conduit.