Systems and methods for treating biologic fluids are disclosed. Some disclosed embodiments may be used to filter cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a human or animal subject, heat CSF to a target temperature, cool CSF to a target temperature, apply light treatment to CSF, separate cells via their dielectric properties, apply spiral and/or centrifugal separation, introduce additives to target particles, and/or apply combinations thereof. The method may include the steps of withdrawing fluid comprising CSF, treating the fluid, and returning a portion of the treated fluid to the subject. During operation of the system, various parameters may be modified, such as flow rate.

A medical catheter that includes an elongate main tube, the tube having an outer wall that surrounds an internal passage, branch tubes having an outer wall connected to the outer wall of the main tube which extend outward from the main tube in different respective directions and have one or more apertures passing through their outer wall to their internal passage to permit fluid to pass through the branch tubes and into the main tube in use. The branch tubes are arranged to be able to move towards each other to permit location of the catheter within the bore of a needle or needle-like apparatus and which return to their original outwards state when removed.

A shunt for draining fluid including a first catheter, an electronic pump fluidly coupled to the first catheter, a manual pump fluidly coupled to the electronic pump, a second catheter fluidly coupled to the manual pump. During a drainage operation, the shunt arranged and configured such that a fluid is passively pressure-driven through the shunt, and the electronic pump is arranged to prevent blockages within the shunt by flowing a bolus of the fluid through the shunt. Additionally, the manual pump is arranged to prevent blockages within the shunt by flowing a bolus of the fluid through the shunt in the event that the electronic pump cannot produce a bolus of the fluid.

A coated urinary catheter or urinary stent device includes a urinary catheter or stent which, in a deployed position, includes or defines a protective surface area and a protected surface area and a coating upon at least a portion of the protective surface area. The coating includes a lubricant and an antimicrobial and/or pH buffering material. The device is configured such that, upon application of negative pressure to the catheter or stent, tissue of a urinary tract of a patient conforms or collapses onto the protective surface area and is thereby prevented or inhibited from occluding one or more protected drainage holes, ports or perforations of the catheter or stent.

An apparatus and method use a catheter for specific and discriminate treatment of central nervous system disease. With the catheter, selective hypothermia to the brain and/or the spinal cord for injury protection can be achieved without the need for systemic cooling. The catheter is also capable of draining excess cerebrospinal fluid.

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 present disclosure generally relates to a system for flowing a fluid, e.g., CSF, from a body of a patient for sampling and analysis. In some embodiments, the system can include a diagnostic module having one or more conduits for flowing fluid therethrough. The flow of the fluid through the valves can be regulated using a control board that changes an orientation of valves disposed in the conduits between a dead-end orientation and a flow-through orientation to sample and/or analyze the fluid from the system. In some embodiments, the fluid can be recirculated into the system through one or more of the valves, with sampling and recirculating occurring substantially simultaneously.

The present invention relates to novel surgical drains and associated methods and systems. Specifically, the present invention includes a surgical drain with at least two ports. A first port drains lymphatic fluid from a subject for collection and analysis. The second port functions to introduce a therapeutic into the subject.

The present invention operates to significantly reduce over or under drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the brain or spinal cord using an extraventricular drain (EVD) in the brain or lumbar drainage device (LDD) and automated intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. The present invention attaches the drainage catheter of the EVD to a flow controller or valve which controls the flow of CSF from the drainage catheter and is electronically controlled by a stepper motor communicating with a pressure transducer receiving pressure signals indicating an ICP without the need for constant manual re-leveling.

The present invention relates to surgical or laparoscopic method of creating and maintaining an opening in the thoracic diaphragm of a patient. In said method, an incision in the thoracic diaphragm is created, thereby creating an opening in the thoracic diaphragm. Further a diaphragm passing part is placed in said opening created in the thoracic diaphragm, passing from the abdomen, through the thoracic diaphragm at the pericardial contacting section, into the pericardium; When placing the diaphragm passing part a force transferring part of the diaphragm passing part is placed in contact with the thoracic diaphragm, the force transferring part being adapted to, by motion of the force transferring part, transfer force between the abdominal side of the thoracic diaphragm and the thoracic side of the thoracic diaphragm or the pericardium while sliding against the thoracic diaphragm.