Neurosurgical apparatus
AssigneeRenishaw (Ireland) Limited
InventorSteven S Gill
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cerebral catheter device for draining fluid from the brain of a patient is described. The device may be used as part of a ventricular shunt system. The device includes an elongate tube for insertion into the brain of a patient to a vicinity of a desired target. A head is attached to the elongate tube that has a passageway in fluid communication with a lumen of the elongate tube. Formations are provided on the external surface of the head for securing the head in a hole formed in the skull of a patient. The head further includes a first fluid connector portion that is attachable to an associated drainage catheter device. This allows fluid communication to be established between the lumen of the elongate tube and a drainage catheter device via the passageway of the head.
Claims17
A cerebral shunt apparatus, comprising:
- a cerebral catheter device configured for draining fluid from the brain of a patient, comprising:
- an elongate tube configured for insertion into the brain of the patient to a vicinity of a desired target, and
- a head attached to the elongate tube, the head having a passageway therethrough in fluid communication with a lumen of the elongate tube and formations comprising ridges or a screw thread that are provided on the external surface of the head and that are configured for securing the head in a hole formed in the skull of the patient,
- the head further comprising a first fluid connector portion having a conical recess, the first fluid connector portion being attachable to an associated drainage catheter device thereby allowing fluid communication to be established between the lumen of the elongate tube and the drainage catheter device via the passageway of the head;
- and
- the drainage catheter device comprising a length of flexible drainage tubing and having a second fluid connector portion having a conical protruding portion, the conical protruding portion of the second fluid connector portion configured to engage the conical recess of the first fluid connector portion of the cerebral catheter device to provide fluid communication between the drainage catheter device and the elongate tube via the passageway through the head.
A method of inserting a cerebral catheter device comprising an elongate tube and a head into the brain of a subject, the method comprising the steps of:
- inserting the elongate tube to a vicinity of a desired target through a burr hole formed in the skull of the subject,
- securing the head in the burr hole using formations comprising ridges or a screw thread that are provided on the external surface of the head and that are configured for securing the head in the hole,
- attaching a drainage catheter to the head to place the drainage catheter in fluid communication with the lumen of the elongate tube, and
- collecting fluid via the drainage catheter and the lumen of the elongate tube, wherein attaching the drainage catheter to the head includes engaging a conical recess of a first fluid connector portion of the head to a conical protruding portion of a second fluid connector portion of the drainage catheter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.