Stoma patency device for hydrocephalus treatment

Creating a new standard of care

Hydrocephalus results from excess of cerebrospinal fluid within the brain and can cause symptoms ranging from headaches to seizures, and can have long-term impact on patients and their families. Surgical management is necessary. The current standard of care involves placement of a subcutaneous catheter; however, it is more invasive and carries a higher complication rate. A growing alternate procedure, endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV), creates a stoma in the brain and is less invasive, but is hindered by stoma closure rates. This team is developing an endoscopically, self-deployable device to keep the stoma open. That would help neurosurgeons establish ETV stenting as the standard of care for patients with hydrocephalus.