FURI | Fall 2020

The Development of Geometries for a Passive Check Valve in Patients with Hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus (HCP) is a medical condition where an excess amount of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulates within the ventricles of the brain. As CSF accumulates, it exerts pressure on the brain. The applied pressure arises from excess CSF. Current medical treatments for HCP are invasive, requiring macroscopic shunts. These shunts have high failure rates and must be removed within two years of the surgery. The team proposes 2D needle geometries to re-establish draining capabilities in the brain. Simulations done on these geometries reveal turbulence at the needle’s outlet. Turbulence mixes CSF with incoming blood and drains out of the valve.