A MEMS-based passive hydrocephalus shunt with adaptive flow characteristics

• This paper reports a novel MEMS valve with adaptive flow characteristics for improved treatment of hydrocephalus, a disease that is characterized by elevated pressure in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. In contrast to conventional valves with two ports, the valve presented here features a third port, called compensation port, which utilizes hydrostatic pressure to adapt CSF drainage based on body position. A prototype has been fabricated using standard MEMS manufacturing processes and the experimental evaluation successfully showed that the flow rate was adjustable with a varying hydrostatic pressure on the compensation port. Extracted data shows that flow rate was at near ideal values at both standing and laying body position showing an effective adaptation to body position. This is the first passive hydrocephalus valve intended for body position dependent CSF pressure regulation.

Ämnesord

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Industriell bioteknik -- Medicinsk bioteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Industrial Biotechnology -- Medical Biotechnology (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Elektroteknik och elektronik -- Annan elektroteknik och elektronik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering -- Other Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Information Engineering (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

MEMS

hydrocephalus

hydrocephalus shunt

micro fluidic valve

normal pressure

passive pressure balancing

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)