Problem
Hydrocephalus is a medical condition in which an excess accumulation of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in the brain can lead to brain damage if not treated. Medtronic Neurosurgery makes devices called shunts to treat this condition, which use an implanted, adjustable valve to drain the excess CSF. Their Strata® valves contain a small magnetic rotor that can be rotated by an external magnet to adjust the appropriate CSF pressure for a patient.
Medtronic’s original adjustment tool system used a mechanical, magnetic compass to measure the rotation angle and hence the setting pressure of the valve. This compass system was influenced by the Earth’s magnetic field and had a limited detection range.
Solution
Lucent designed an electronic hand-held sensor, the StrataVarius®, which accurately displays to the neurologist the location and pressure setting of a patient’s implanted Strata® valve. Lucent headed up the entire StrataVarius® development cycle, including electronic, mechanical, and industrial design, prototype builds, agency safety testing, and production rampup, and currently manages the ongoing manufacture of the Stratavarius® for Medtronic.
Results
The StrataVarius® provides the clinician with improved adjustment accuracy, detection range, immunity to the Earth’s field, and one-handed ease-of-use. Strata® valves can now be more easily and accurately adjusted using Lucent’s permanent magnet technology.
Contact Us
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