Shunt tap apparatus and method
US5795307A · kind A · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 29, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 18, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 29, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61M27/006
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A shunt tap device is provided for use in sensing CSF pressure data in a shunt implanted in a subject, wherein the shunt comprises a valve having a reservoir, and first and second catheters providing CSF flow paths toward and away from the valve, respectively. The shunt tap device is provided with a hollow needle for temporarily forming an aperture through the wall of the reservoir, to communicate with CSF contained therein. A length of flexible microbore tubing extends from the needle to a coupling, such as a Touhy-Borst connector, which is disposed to receive the pressure transducer component of a pressure monitoring device into a narrow fluid enclosure, collectively formed by the hollow needle, tubing, and a portion of the connector. The fluid enclosure is filled with a saline fluid or the like, having properties similar to CSF. The connector is tightened to seal the saline fluid within the fluid enclosure, and also to retain the pressure transducer in the enclosure, in contact with the saline fluid. By means of such arrangement, CSF pressure data is transmitted from the reservoir to the pressure transducer through the saline fluid, enabling a pressure reading to be provided by …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.