Ventricular amniotic shunt and introducer system

A ventricular amniotic shunt and introducer system for the relief of fetal hydrocephalus, comprising:

• an introducer assembly including a guiding assembly having a longitudinal lumen therethrough;
• a pushing tool of said introducer assembly, said pushing tool being an elongated rod insertable through said longitudinal lumen of the introducer assembly, said pushing tool having a distal end;
• a valve assembly inserted through said longitudinal lumen of the introducer assembly and including a hydrocephalus valve mounted within a valve housing and a catheter depending from said valve housing, said valve having an inflow end and an outflow end, said catheter having a distal end, said catheter and said valve housing having a common passageway providing fluid flow communication between the hydrocephalus valve and the distal end of the catheter, said valve assembly having a top end, and said valve housing includes a stylet guiding partial lumen longitudinally positioned therewithin and separated from said fluid flow common passageway through a section of the valve assembly, and wherein said hydrocephalus valve is radially offset with respect to the axis of said partial lumen;
• the distal end of the pushing tool pushingly engages the top end of the valve assembly;
• and
• an orifice is included at the distal end of the catheter, and an opening in said top end of the valve assembly is in fluid-passing communication with the outflow end of the hydrocephalus valve, said orifice being in fluid-passing communication with the inflow end of the hydrocephalus valve through said common passageway.

A ventricular amniotic shunt and introducer system for the relief of fetal hydrocephalus, comprising:

• an introducer assembly including a cannula and a splittable sheath inserted completely through the entire length of said cannula, said splittable sheath having a lumen therethrough;
• a pushing tool of said introducer assembly, said pushing tool including an elongated rod insertable through said lumen of the splittable sheath, said pushing tool having a distal end, and said pushing tool including a stylet slidable through a lumen of said pushing tool elongated rod;
• a valve assembly including a hydrocephalus valve mounted within a valve housing and a catheter depending from said valve housing, said hydrocephalus valve having an inflow end and an outflow end, said catheter having a distal end, said catheter and said valve housing having a common passageway that is uninterrupted between the hydrocephalus valve inflow end and the distal end of the catheter, said valve assembly having a top end and said valve housing includes a stylet guiding partial lumen longitudinally positioned therewith and spaced from said common passageway;
• the distal end of the pushing tool butts against the top end of the valve assembly;
• and
• an orifice is included at the distal end of the catheter, and an opening in said top end of the valve assembly is in fluid passing communication with the outflow end of the hydrocephalus valve, said orifice being in fluid-passing communication with the inflow end of the hydrocephalus valve through said common passageway.

A ventricular amniotic shunt and introducer system for the relief of fetal hydrocephalus, comprising:

• an introducer assembly including a cannula and a splittable sheath inserted completely through the entire length of said cannula, said splittable sheath having a lumen therethrough;
• a pushing tool of said introducer assembly, said pushing tool being an elongated rod insertable through said lumen of the splittable sheath, said pushing tool having a distal end;
• a valve assembly including a hydrocephalus valve mounted within a valve housing and a catheter depending from said valve housing, said hydrocephalus valve having an inflow end and an outflow end, said catheter having a distal end, said catheter and said valve housing having a common passageway that is uninterrupted and that provides fluid flow communication between the hydrocephalus valve and the distal end of the catheter, said valve assembly having a top end, and said valve housing includes a stylet guiding partial lumen longitudinally positioned therewithin and separated from said fluid flow common passageway through a section of the valve assembly, and wherein said hydrocephalus valve is radially offset with respect to the axis of said partial lumen;
• the distal end of the pushing tool butts against the top end of the valve assembly;
• and
• an orifice is included at the distal end of the catheter, and an opening in said top end of the valve assembly is in fluid passing communication with the outflow end of the hydrocephalus valve, said orifice being in fluid-passing communication with the inflow end of the hydrocephalus valve through said common passageway.

A method for treating fetal hydrocephalus comprising:

• passing a needle through a lumen of a cannula, inserting the needle and cannula through a woman's abdominal wall and uterine wall, and removing the needle from the cannula while leaving the cannula inserted through the abdominal wall and uterine wall;
• passing a needle through a lumen of an elongated sheath, inserting the needle and elongated sheath through the lumen of the cannula that is inserted through the abdominal wall and uterine wall, continuing with said elongated sheath inserting step until said needle and elongated sheath pass through the skull of a fetus within the uterine wall, and removing this needle from the thus inserted elongated sheath;
• pushingly engaging a top end of a hydrocephalus valve assembly with the distal end of a pushing tool and manipulating the pushing tool to feed the hydrocephalus valve assembly through the lumen of the inserted elongated sheath until an orifice of the hydrocephalus valve assembly enters a ventricle of the brain of the fetus, said hydrocephalus valve assembly including a hydrocephalus valve and a fluid flow passageway between said valve and said orifice;
• slidably removing the elongated sheath, the pushing tool and the cannula while leaving the hydrocephalus valve assembly implanted within the fetal skull;
• and
• said step of manipulating the pushing tool to feed the hydrocephalus valve assembly through the inserted elongated sheath includes inserting a stylet longitudinally through a lumen of the pushing tool and then through a stylet guiding partial lumen of the hydrocephalus valve assembly to a location at least as distal as the orifice, and wherein said removing step includes slidably removing the stylet.