A shunt system is disclosed for treating hydrocephalus by transporting cerebrospinal fluid from a source of such fluid to a selected site in the body of the patient, wherein the fluid is conducted through tubing in which a pressure-operated check valve is included, and connected in series with that valve is a second valve including gravity-operated means effective to urge the second valve to closed position until a higher pressure is reached when the patient is in substantially vertical position and to permit the valve to open freely when the patient is in substantially horizontal position, thus compensating for the pressure drop and consequent siphoning of fluid which would otherwise occur when the patient moves from horizontal to vertical position.

This disclosure relates to a catheter and method for its use to establish a connection between the cerebral ventricles and the proximal segment of a ligated neck vein for treating hydrocephalus. This method for shunting the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the venous circulation prevents blood from coming into contact with the shunt tube and prevents a syphonage force from developing when the patient assumes the upright position. The catheter consists of a tubing of soft tissue-compatible material and is provided with a simple check valve to prevent reflux of blood. It has a side tube and it is also provided with means for: 1) easy insertion into the ventricle; 2) protection of the intake apertures; 3) watertight closure of the dura mater around it; 4) resistance to kinking; 5) provision of an available extra length of 5 cms; and 6) resistance to being pulled out of the neck vein due to movements of the head and neck.

A device to be used as part of an artificial shunt for abnormal intracranial pressure conditions. A compliant tube of unique cross-section acts as a pressure regulator, preventing siphoning of cerebrospinal fluid under conditions of reduced pressure at the distal end of the shunt.

An improved cerebrospinal fluid anti-syphoning device for insertion into the human body to provide control and regulation of fluid being transported from the lateral ventricles to another portion of the body. The improved fluid anti-syphoning device includes a fluid housing member which is adapted to contain a pair of check valves which control fluid flow through the housing member and prevents back flow from a downstream area to an upstream area. A central chamber within the fluid housing member encloses a combination fluid egress conduit and flexible diaphragm which in cooperative relation provide for a substantial termination of fluid flow when the down stream pressure becomes too low with respect to the upstream pressure. Specific construction of the fluid egress conduit and the flexible diaphragm provides for negation of possible terminal closure of the flow path through the anti-syphoning device under a wide range of conditions. The improved device includes a mechanism for manually actuating the flow through the outlet area of the housing member after the anti-syphoning device has been implanted within the human body.

A cerebrospinal fluid anti-siphoning device for insertion into the human body to provide regulation of fluid being transported from the lateral ventricles to another part of the body. The device includes a fluid housing member through which the cerebrospinal fluid passes. The fluid housing member is adapted to contain a pair of check valves which control fluid flow through the housing member and prevent back flow from a downstream area to an upstream area. A central chamber within the fluid housing member encloses a fluid control mechanism which provides for termination of fluid flow when the downstream pressure becomes too low with respect to the upstream pressure. The fluid control mechanism includes a diaphragm which is displaced from a fluid conduit when flow is passing through the fluid housing member and is positioned contiguous to the conduit opening when the downstream pressure is too low, thereby effectively terminating the flow of the cerebrospinal fluid through the fluid housing member. The device includes a mechanism for manually actuating the flow through the outlet area of the housing member even when the antisiphoning device has been implanted within the human body.