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What is a strata valve?

What is a strata valve?

Strata® adjustable pressure valves are part of a shunt system used to treat the symptoms of hydrocephalus. A shunt redirects excess cerebrospinal fluid in the brain to another part of the body, allowing the brain’s enlarged ventricles to return to a more normal size.

How are VP shunt adjusted?

The amount of CSF your VP shunt drains depends on its pressure setting. With a programmable VP shunt, your neurosurgeon can adjust the shunt’s pressure settings, even after it has been placed. In general, a higher pressure setting means less CSF is being drained.

How do you diagnose a VP shunt obstruction?

Palpate to identify the VP shunt and the reservoir chamber. Compress the chamber. Difficulty compressing indicates distal obstruction. Slow refill (more than 3-5 seconds) indicates proximal obstruction.

How do they reprogram a shunt?

This is achieved by placing a catheter in the brain that allows drainage of excess fluid into the abdomen. A programmable shunt has an adjustable valve which allows you to modify the amount of fluid drained after the shunt is implanted.

What are the symptoms of VP shunt Overdrainage?

Over-drainage: When the shunt allows cerebral fluid to drain from the brain’s ventricles more quickly than it is produced, the ventricles can collapse, tearing blood vessels and causing bleeding in the brain or blood clot, marked by severe headache, nausea, vomiting, seizure and other symptoms.

Why is it called normal pressure hydrocephalus?

Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a brain disorder in which excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the brain’s ventricles, which are fluid-filled chambers. Normal pressure hydrocephalus is called “normal pressure” because despite the excess fluid, CSF pressure as measured during a spinal tap is often normal.

Where is a VP shunt placed?

The long catheter is placed under your skin, behind your ear, down your neck, and into your abdomen. As the VP shunt drains extra CSF and lessens the pressure in your brain, it may ease some of your symptoms. Some symptoms will stop right after the VP shunt is inserted.

Does a shunt stay in forever?

VP shunts do not work forever. When the shunt stops working: The child can have another buildup of fluid in the brain. Another surgery is needed to fix it.

What is the P / L of a strata valve?

The Strata valve has 5 settings or P/L, ranging from 0.5 to 2.5. Each performance level corresponds to a range of opening pressures and flow rates; generally, a lower performance level corresponds to a lower opening pressure. The range of opening pressures is between 15 and 170 mm H2O.

How is the performance of a strata Valve changed?

The pressure/flow performance level setting can be changed non-invasively by using one of the Strata Adjustment Systems, which use magnets to change the pressure/flow performance level and sensors to verify the new setting. The Strata valve also includes a siphon-control device, the Delta ® Chamber.

What is the setting code for Medtronic strata valve?

Medtronic Strata valve at various settings. Reproduced with permission from Medtronic Neurosurgery. Fig 3. A, Setting code for the Sophysa Sophy SM8 valve. Operating pressure (millimeters of water) for each position is depicted in the lower left hand corner of each panel. B, Setting code for the Sophysa Polaris SPV valve.

How does the strata pressure shunt system work?

The Strata valve uses a patented technology that utilizes a magnetic rotor to adjust the tension on a ball and spring valve mechanism, allowing for five separate pressure/flow performance level settings.