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Low-Cost, Stable, and Easy-to-Use Guide for Accurate Intraventricular Access with Minimal Footprint

A single-use device which assists in stereotactic catheter placement into the cerebral ventricles and draining of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)

Problem:

Hydrocephalus leads to increased intracranial pressure and an external ventricular drain (EVD) or ventricular-peritoneal shunt (VPS) is needed to drain excess CSF. However, the success of EVD/VPS requires the accurate catheter placement. Currently, freehand techniques using anatomical landmarks suffer from a variable success rate, reported as low as 39.9% and often require multiple catheter passes. Additionally, existing devices (such as the Ghajar Guide) are cumbersome, non-adjustable, require a large incision and have a tendency to allow the catheter migrate following placement.

Solution:

The inventors developed a stereotactic guide, Device for Intraventricular Entry (DIVE), to assist in the placement of ventricular catheters. DIVE provides an orthogonal trajectory for catheter placement while functioning as a low-profile skin retractor during an EVD or VPS procedure.

Technology Overview:

The device consists of a hollow conical base, with small footplates coming off each edge to secure the device underneath the skin. From the midpoint of the base, a slotted shaft creates an orthogonal trajectory in line with the burr hole. The catheter can be aligned within the shaft for an orthogonal trajectory into the lateral ventricle or with an adjusted angle if the patient anatomy is atypical (i.e. midline shift). A clip is attached to the base to hold the catheter in place following placement. Additionally, the device will be made of a single piece of plastic, which is cheap and autoclavable.