Aesculap, a B Braun company, has launched an adjustable, gravitational shunt valve, Miethke proSA, to provide surgeons with a new treatment option for patients with hydrocephalus.
The valve provides resistance to cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) flow in the upright position and allows the upright pressure to be managed independently from the lying pressure.
The vlave can also be implanted in combination with fixed or adjustable valves to allow surgeons to provide patients with different pressure settings for the lying and the upright positions and reduce the symptoms that are experienced when intracranial pressures (ICPs) are too low or too high, according to the company.
In addition, the valve has adjustability range from 0-40 cmH2O to enable surgeons to manage the needs of a wide selection of patient types or patient needs such as height or weight changes.
The valves' integrated Active-Lock MR brake also helps prevent the valve from inadvertent pressure adjustments in 1.5 and 3T MRI scanners, and the need for re-adjustments after an MRI.
Aesculap president Chuck DiNardo said when the pressure setting is increased in a conventional adjustable valve system, resistance is not just increased to the upright position, but to all positions.
"This results in increased ICP in the lying position causing headaches, nausea and other symptoms," DiNardo added.
"proSA finally allows these pressures to be managed independently, providing greater patient comfort."
