Sohum Desai MD-
Establishing Testing Rig
04/05/2017 at 00:23 • 0 commentsVP shunt valves prior to implantation are tested with a manometer setup as follows:
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What you see here is a three way stopcock, manometer (vertical plastic tube marked in increments of centimeters), an adaptor for the outflow nozzle of the 3 way stopcock, and the shunt valve. The switch on the three way stopcock is turned so that the shunt valve is closed. A syringe filled with saline is then attached to the inflow used to fill the manometer. The switch of the three way stopcock is then turned so that the valve is closed. At this point the column of saline in the manometer will drain out of the distal end of the valve.
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Tesla Conduit
04/02/2017 at 20:47 • 0 commentsRather than re-creating a miniature check valve consisting of mircomilimeter sized components, I googled 'valve with no moving parts' and to my surprise found the following:
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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_valve
Nikola Tesla described this device in 1920 allowing fluid to move preferentially in one direction. Although the fluidics have fallen by the way side, I see a useful application of this design in our shunt valve that can be easily manufactured on a 3D printer.
3D Printed Tesla VP Shunt Valve
Sterile 3D printing of ventriculoperitoneal shunt valve and other components in developing countries
What you see here is a three way stopcock, manometer (vertical plastic tube marked in increments of centimeters), an adaptor for the outflow nozzle of the 3 way stopcock, and the shunt valve. The switch on the three way stopcock is turned so that the shunt valve is closed. A syringe filled with saline is then attached to the inflow used to fill the manometer. The switch of the three way stopcock is then turned so that the valve is closed. 