Codman offering versatility in treating hydrocephalus

Banff, Alberta, Canada – Codman Neuro engineers have developed a new MRI-resistant programmable valve with eight different pressure settings, including a virtual off setting, for the treatment of hydrocephalus, a neurological condition that affects more than one million children and adults in the United States.

Hydrocephalus is characterized by an excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that causes the ventricles of the brain to enlarge and the pressure inside the head to increase, which can lead to a range of harmful effects including damage to brain tissue and impairments in cognitive and motor function. The most common treatment for hydrocephalus is the surgical implantation of a valve or shunt, a flexible tube placed into the brain to divert excess CSF from the head to the abdomen. 

The new Codman Certas Plus Programmable Valve enables neurosurgeons to pre-operatively choose from eight low-to-high pressure settings to control the rate of drainage of CSF from the brain. The valve pressure can be read and adjusted non-invasively or even turned virtually off (valve pressure consistently above 400mmH20) any time after implantation using the Codman Certas Tool Kit, which employs magnetic force to change settings. 

The Codman Certas Plus Programmable Valve is resistant to unintended changes in the valve setting in a 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and may be integrated with Codman Neuro’s Bactiseal Antimicrobial Catheter and/or Siphonguard Anti-Siphon Device, depending on surgeon preference.

Codman Neuro has been a leading supporter of patient and professional education and advocacy for hydrocephalus. The company helped to fund the development of international clinical guidelines on normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) by a team of independent medical experts. The company has also developed two popular websites for patients and caregivers, www.LifeNPH.com and www.hydro-kids.com, where people can obtain information about the diagnosis and treatment of NPH and infant hydrocephalus.  

Source: Codman Neuro