Systems, catheters, and methods for accessing and treating along the central nervous system are disclosed including sampling systems. An example sampling system may include a filter cassette designed to filter cerebrospinal fluid. The filter cassette may have an inlet region configured to be coupled to a catheter and configured to receive cerebrospinal fluid, one or more filters, and an outlet region configured to be coupled to an outlet of the catheter and to direct filtered cerebrospinal fluid to the catheter. A sampling port may be in fluid communication with the filter cassette. The sampling port may have a first end region configured to receive cerebrospinal fluid, a stopcock, a syringe port, and a second end region. The stopcock may be configured to shift between a first position where cerebrospinal fluid is directed from the first end region to the second end region and a second position where cerebrospinal fluid is directed from the first end region to the syringe port.

An apparatus for loading an endovascular shunt into a delivery catheter includes a base, a boss rod connected to, and extending longitudinally across, the base, and a plurality of guide bosses slidably coupled to the boss rod. The guide bosses include a delivery catheter guide boss coupled to the delivery catheter, a malecot holding tube guide boss, wherein a malecot holding tube is connected to a first lateral side of the malecot guide boss extending towards the delivery catheter guide boss, a claw assembly guide boss, where a claw assembly is attached to a first lateral side of the claw guide boss extending towards the malecot holding tube guide boss, and a chase pin guide boss, wherein a chase pin is connected to a first lateral side of the chase pin guide boss extending towards the claw assembly guide boss.

A long-lasting, wireless, biocompatible pressure sensor device is integrated within a hydrocephalus shunt, either within the shunt's reservoir/anchor or as an inline or pigtailed connector. When integrated within a typical reservoir, the device can sit within the reservoir's hollow frustum area covered by the resilient silicone dome of the reservoir. When integrated as an inline connector, the device can sit at any point on the peritoneal catheter or ventricular catheter, including between the VP shut's valve and reservoir. The pressure sensor device includes electronics that can be powered wirelessly by a reader held to a patient's scalp, and so no battery may be required. The reader can transmit an ambient, atmospheric pressure reading from outside the skull to the implanted device so that its electronics can calculate a calibrated gauge pressure internally and then relay it to a patient's smart phone.

An implantable intracranial pulse pressure modulator for treating hydrocephalus in patients of all ages is disclosed as well as a system and method for use of the same. In one embodiment of the implantable intracranial pulse pressure modulator, two one-way valves are interposed in parallel, opposing orientations between a vestibule and a chamber. One of the one-way valves, in response to systole, provides fluid communication from the vestibule to the chamber such that a small aliquot of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is displaced from a cerebral ventricle into a ventricular catheter, thereby reducing intraventricular systolic pressure. The other one-way valve, in response to diastole, provides fluid communication from the chamber to the vestibule such that the same volume of CSF is reintroduced into a cerebral ventricle, thereby increasing intraventricular diastolic pressure. Together, both processes work synergistically to reduce intraventricular pulse pressure in order to treat hydrocephalus.

The present invention relates to a method of implanting a blood clot removal device in a patient's body, by cutting the skin of the patient's body, dissecting an area of the patient's vascular system, placing the blot clot removal device at the dissected area, and connecting a blood flow passageway of the blood clot removal device to the patient's vascular system to allow circulation of the patient's blood through the blood flow passageway.

Described herein is a safety system that works collectively with an automated fluid drain control apparatus and systems and clinical experts to establish protocols and methods for given patient populations to ensure that the drainage of fluid from patients is both safe and effective. It further enables the transportation of drain orders from systems external to the drain system and returns to them the drainage data on a periodic basis for inclusion into the patient chart.

Described herein is a safety system that works collectively with an automated fluid drain control apparatus and systems and clinical experts to establish protocols and methods for given patient populations to ensure that the drainage of fluid from patients is both safe and effective. It further enables the transportation of drain orders from systems external to the drain system and returns to them the drainage data on a periodic basis for inclusion into the patient chart.

A filtering device for removing particles from a bodily fluid of a patient is disclosed. The device is implantable in the patient's body and comprises a tube forming a main fluid passageway for bodily fluid, through which the bodily fluid passes when the tube is implanted, wherein the tube is sized and adapted to be fluidly connected to the bodily fluid. The device further comprises a filter connected to the tube, and a filter cleaning device for cleaning the filter.

A cerebral spinal fluid shunt plug includes a shunt plug housing having a recess formed therein and a shunt valve shaped and dimensioned for positioning within the recess of the shunt plug housing.