The METHODS, APPARATUSES AND SYSTEMS FOR INSTILLING STEM CELLS AND PHARMACEUTICALS INTO THE HUMAN VENTRICULAR SYSTEM (hereinafter Ventricular Stem Cell System or VSCS) disclosed herein provide safe and effective techniques for obtaining stem cells and instilling any type of stem cell or pharmaceutical agents into the human ventricular system for treatment of various diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis, and others.

A shunt catheter system and method of use thereof. The system generally includes an open-ended ventricular catheter with drainage apertures and safety flap valves, a reservoir with inline filter, and a peritoneal catheter. After insertion, for example into the ventricles of the brain, cerebrospinal fluid would pass into the ventricular catheter, through the inline filter in the reservoir, and into the peritoneal catheter, subsequently exiting the shunt catheter system. During insertion of the ventricular catheter, a catheter stylet or wire/string and plug stylet can be positioned therein to occlude the open end. The ventricular catheter may be positioned perpendicular to the peritoneal catheter and can be coupled to one another through the reservoir and inline filter or valve.

An implantable drainage device is provided. The device is adapted to move body fluid from one part of the body of a patient to another part of the body. The invention also extends to a filter adapted to filter particles from a drained fluid.

Systems, catheters, and methods for accessing and treating along the central nervous system are disclosed. An example method may control operation of a pump of pump/filtration system to facilitate removing cerebrospinal fluid from a patient, filtering the cerebrospinal fluid with a filter module to remove waste product, and returning the filtered cerebrospinal fluid to the patient. Operation of the pump may be adjusted based on a value related to a measure sensed by a sensor in communication with a lumen carrying cerebrospinal fluid through the filtration system.

Disclosed herein is a wetted medical device, methods for preparing wetted medical devices, and kits to make the same. The disclosed wetted medical device includes a self-healing layer of lubricating fluid on a surface of the medical device. The surface includes a polymer layer having a roughened texture, which interacts with and attracts the lubricating fluid to form a lubricating fluid layer.

In some aspects, catheter devices can include: a reinforcing member having a proximal and distal ends, the reinforcing member comprising: discrete longitudinally arranged structural regions between the proximal and distal ends comprising: a first, proximal, structural region defining a first series of wall perforations that generate structural properties within the first structural region, the first series of wall perforations setting a first stiffness of the first structural region; and a second structural region, disposed distally relative to the first structural region, defining a second series of wall perforations that generate structural properties within the second structural region, the second series of wall perforations setting a second stiffness of the second structural region, which is less than the first stiffness, wherein the second series of wall perforations differs from the first series of wall perforations by at least one of: cut balance, cut frequency, or pitch.

A device suitable for guiding a trajectory of a surgical shunt or needle comprising two protractors on a curved frame configured to fit over, or attach to, the skull of a patient, wherein the two protractors are respectively oriented in a circular dimension and anterior-posterior/medio-lateral directions. A method for using the device to guide a surgical needle, probe, shunt or other instrument during surgery.

A drainage or infusion catheter and methods of use are disclosed. In one embodiment, the catheter includes a tube body having a proximal end and a distal end, and a plurality of ports arranged along the tube body from the distal end to the proximal end. The distal end of the tube body is configured to deform around itself into a substantially spiral shape so as to cover at least one of the plurality of ports located near the proximal end of the tube body. In another embodiment, a flap is configured to erupt from apertures arranged in the tube and extend outwardly around the tube body so as to cover at least one of the plurality of ports located near the proximal end of the tube body.

Implantable physiological shunt systems and related fluid flow control devices and accessories for use therewith. Devices, systems and methods relating to implantable medical fluid flow control devices, rotors and magnets with increased resistance to inadvertent setting changes. Devices, systems and methods relating implantable medical fluid flow control devices, rotors and magnets which provide improved magnetic coupling to fluid flow control device accessories such as adjustment tools.

A drainage valve intended to be implanted and to drain the cerebrospinal fluid, including: a body defining a chamber into which there open an inlet port and an outlet port, a stopper capable of at least partially, or indeed completely, closing off the inlet port, a resilient return member exerting a resilient push force on the stopper towards the inlet port in order to open or close the port, a rotor housed in the chamber, able to rotate about an X-axis pivot and including a cam track on which the resilient return member rests such that the force exerted by the resilient return member on the stopper is modified by the rotation of the rotor.