A single lumen catheter with extendable and retractable drains for providing improved fluid drainage and irrigation. The catheter generally includes a housing enclosing a single unpartitioned lumen, a plurality of drain ports, and a common drain. A plurality of drains provide a plurality of paths for fluid to flow between the common drain and the exterior of the housing. The plurality of drains are coupled to an internal connector within the single lumen, and are selectively movable via the internal connector and a stylet with a specially shaped end tip between a retracted position in which the drains are enclosed within the lumen and an extended position in which the drains extend through the drain ports to the exterior of the housing. Additionally or alternatively one or more elongated tools or other elements can be coupled to the internal connector and caused to move between retracted and extended positions.

Drug delivery systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a drug delivery system can be configured to deliver a drug to a patient in coordination with a physiological parameter of the patient (e.g., the patient's natural cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsation or the patient's heart or respiration rate). In some embodiments, a drug delivery system can be configured to use a combination of infusion and aspiration to control delivery of a drug to a patient. Catheters, controllers, and other components for use in the above systems are also disclosed, as are various methods of using such systems.

Systems and methods for implanting an endovascular shunt in a patient is disclosed. The system having an expandable anchor configured for being deployed in a dural venous sinus of a patient at a location distal to a curved portion of a wall of an inferior petrosal sinus (IPS) of the patient; an elongate guide member coupled to, and extending proximally from, the anchor; a shunt delivery catheter having a first lumen configured to receive the guide member, and a second lumen extending between respective proximal and distal openings in the shunt delivery catheter, the shunt delivery catheter further having a penetrating element coupled to a distal end of the catheter; and the system further having a guard at least partially disposed over, and movable relative to, the penetrating element.

The present invention provides sensor systems and methods of using the same. The sensor systems include implantable sensors and readers configured to communicate with the implantable sensors. The implantable sensors are attachable to catheters and work with the readers to determine the presence of fluid flow and to calculate an absolute measure of fluid flow rate within a catheter. The sensor systems are capable of monitoring the flow of CSF fluid within shunt catheters, such as hydrocephalus shunt catheters.

A device for regulating blood pressure in a heart chamber is provided. The device includes a shunt positionable within a septum of the heart. The shunt is designed for enabling blood flow between a loft heart chamber and a right heart chamber, wherein the flow rate capacity of the device is mostly a function of pressure in the left heart chamber.

The invention relates to an in-utero ventriculoamniotic shunting device that includes a shunt tube (26) composed of polymer composite and having metallic wire embedded therein, one or more anchors (30) composed of superelastic wire, e.g., thermal shape-set nitinol structures, that are mechanically attached to an exterior surface of the shunt tube (26), and a one-way passive valve (32) composed of a thin polymer membrane. The anchors (30) are effective to prevent migration and dislodgement of the shunting device following its deployment, and the valve (32) is effective to prevent the backflow of amniotic fluid (23).

A self-offsetting implantable valve system including a catheter having an outer perimeter, a free terminating end and an opposite second end. A plurality of holes are defined proximate the free terminating end of the catheter. The system further including a self-offsetting memory component disposed radially about the outer perimeter of a portion of the catheter proximate the free terminating end of the catheter. This self-offsetting memory component is transitionable between a first state subject to application of an externally applied force and a second state free from the externally applied force. While in the first state at least a portion of the self-offsetting memory component having a diameter smaller than that same portion of the self-offsetting memory component while in the second state.

A blood clot removal device for removing blood clots from the vascular system of a patient is implantable in the patient's body. The blood clot removal device comprises a blood flow passageway, a filter provided in the blood flow passageway for filtering blood clots, and a cleaning device for cleaning the filter. By means of such blood clot removal device and system, the risk of blood clots reaching sensitive areas of the patient's body, such as the brain, is reduced.

Systems and methods for filtering materials from biologic fluids are discussed. Embodiments may be used to filter cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a human or animal subject. In an example, CSF is separated into a permeate and retentate using a tangential flow filter. The retentate is filtered again and then returned to the subject with the permeate. During operation of the system, various parameters may be modified, such as flow rate and waste rate.

The invention includes a shunt for at least partial implantation into a patient that includes an elongated conduit having at least one lumen therethrough, that includes a proximal end for receipt of bodily fluids for flow through the shunt and a distal end for discharge of the bodily fluids from the shunt, and a long term source of at least one occlusion resistant agent, wherein said at least a portion of the at least one occlusion resistant agent can permeate through at least a portion of the elongated conduit. The invention also includes kits and systems.