P J Anand,Deep Arjun Singh,Morgan Brophy,Timothy Fallon,Robert Degon,Matthew Attar,Anthony Wong,Allison Waller,Andrew East,Jon T. McIntyre
申请号：
US14160768
公开号：
US09629987B2
申请日:
2014.01.22
申请国别(地区):
US
年份:
2017
代理人:
摘要：
Systems and methods are provided herein that generally involve shunting fluid, e.g., shunting cerebrospinal fluid in the treatment of hydrocephalus. Self-cleaning catheters are provided which include split tips configured such that pulsatile flow of fluid in a cavity in which the catheter is inserted can cause the tips to strike one another and thereby clear obstructions. Catheters with built-in flow indicators are also provided. Exemplary flow indicators include projections that extend radially inward from the interior surface of the catheter and which include imageable portions (e.g., portions which are visible under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)). Movement of the flow indicators caused by fluid flowing through the catheter can be detected using MRI, thereby providing a reliable indication as to whether the catheter is partially or completely blocked. Systems and methods for flushing a shunt system are also disclosed herein, as are various systems and methods for opening auxiliary fluid pathways through a shunt system.
