Adjustable hydrocephalus valve

摘要

An adjustable hydrocephalus valve for pressure equalization of the cerebrospinal fluid in the cranium of a hydrocephalus patient. The valve is adjustable to change the opening and closing pressure of the valve. The valve housing has a cover portion that can be depressed to thereby disengage a locking device to permit adjustment of the valve. The cover portion bulges outwardly, but bulges inwardly when depressed. The cover portion snaps when moved between the outward bulge and the inward bulge to thereby generate an audio and/or visual signal indicating that the cover portion has been switched from the outward bulge to the inward bulge, and vice versa.

主权项

1. An adjustable hydrocephalus valve for pressure equalization of the cerebrospinal fluid in the cranium of a hydrocephalus patient, which said valve is implantable in a patient and controls drainage of excess cerebrospinal fluid, said valve comprising:
an inlet, an outlet, and a housing through which cerebrospinal fluid flows between said inlet and said outlet; a spring disposed in said housing and configured to set the opening and closing pressure of said valve; an adjusting mechanism disposed in said housing and comprising a rotatable part configured to be rotated to adjust a pressure force exerted by said spring; at least one of said rotatable part and said housing comprising a locking device, which locking device comprises at least one of: frictional surfaces and locking teeth; said rotatable part and said housing being configured to engage with one another to thereby engage said locking device and lock said rotatable part in a desired position between adjustments; said housing comprising a cover portion configured to be depressed to displace at least a portion of said rotatable part along its rotational axis, and to thereby disengage said locking device to permit rotation of said rotatable part; said cover portion being configured and disposed to bulge outwardly in a substantially convex shape, and being configured to bulge inwardly in a substantially concave shape upon being depressed toward the interior of said housing; said cover portion being configured to snap between said outward bulge and said inward bulge to thereby generate an audio and/or visual signal indicating that said cover portion has been one of (A) and (B):
(A) switched from said outward bulge to said inward bulge to alert a user that said rotatable part has been disengaged from said locking part to permit rotation of said rotatable part; and(B) switched from said inward bulge to said outward bulge to alert a user that said rotatable part has been engaged with said locking part to lock said rotatable part in place; said valve comprises a second spring configured to bias said rotatable part against said locking device to lock said rotatable part in a desired position; said cover portion is configured to be depressed to thereby displace said rotatable part along its rotational axis against the biasing force of said second spring; and one of (C) and (D):
(C) said second spring is configured to press said cover portion from said inward bulge to said outward bulge upon termination of a depressing force on said cover portion; and(D) said cover portion is configured to be sufficiently resilient to automatically move on its own from said inward bulge to said outward bulge upon termination of a depressing force on said cover portion.