US 5,683,357 AGranted

External cerebrospinal fluid drain apparatus

OwnerGary Magraminventor

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Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for draining cerebrospinal fluid from within a patient's body to a location outside the patient's body. The novel apparatus features a fluid accumulator located serially between the ventricular catheter and the external location. The accumulator holds an amount of fluid which can flow bidirectionally between the patient and the accumulator so as to replenish any excess fluid that surges from the patient due to sudden, unexpected movements, such as sneezing, coughing, suddenly changing from recumbent to upright position and systolic contractions. The accumulator serves to maintain the height of the fluid column in the apparatus at a steady level, despite the sudden movements. Thus the hydrostatic pressure exerted on the cerebrospinal spaces by the fluid, which controls intracranial pressure, remains substantially constant.

Claims5

Dependent claims

An external drain apparatus for draining cerebrospinal fluid from a patient's body to an external location outside the body, the apparatus comprising:

a catheter to receive the fluid from within the body, the catheter having a discharge end;
tubular means in fluid communication with the discharge end for conducting the fluid from the catheter;
and
an accumulator in serial fluid communication with the tubular means, the accumulator including:
(1) a wall structure enclosing an inner volume to hold an inventory of cerebrospinal fluid inside the accumulator, the inventory having a fluid level;
(2) an overflow nozzle to discharge fluid from the accumulator to the external location, the overflow nozzle being in fluid communication with the inner volume and being at an elevation at least as high as the fluid level;
and
(3) an inlet port below the fluid level being adapted to connect the accumulator to the tubular means to provide bidirectional flow of fluid between the inventory and the discharge end.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.