Washington University

University of Minnesota

University of Washington

Other

Matthew Smyth

Eric Leuthardt

Lihong V Wang

John W Miller

Daniel W Moran

Guy M Genin

Steven Rothman

Alexander Yang

Devon Haydon

David Limbrick

Michael Winek

Raimondo D'Ambrosio

Aaron McLaughlin

Jason Fender

Manish Shah

Jeffrey Ojemann

Richard L Marcus

Samuel Stone

Richard Marcus

Sam Stone

A method of using a catheter assembly for inserting in a fluid filled space in a body includes providing a main body having a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is positioned within the fluid filled space. The second end portion is adjusted to extend outwardly from the fluid filled space when the first end portion is positioned within the fluid filled space. A catheter tip is connected to the second end portion of the main body. The catheter tip includes a housing having a cavity defined therein and a rotating element positioned within the fluid filled space. The rotating element is rotated within the cavity of the housing to impart movement of the first end portion of the main body within the fluid filled space.

Catheter tip for a catheter assembly

Method of using a catheter assembly

Passive prosthetic devices for focally cooling a brain and methods for inhibiting seizures are disclosed. The prosthetic devices replace a thermally insulating bone flap with a thermally conductive insert having an inner surface that contacts the relatively warm meninges or brain and an outer surface that contacts the relatively cool scalp. In an embodiment, the prosthesis is unitary; in another, a biocompatible casing is filled with a highly conductive core; in another, a filled polymer block is attached to a plate; and in another, the bone flap is filled with a conductive polymer. In one embodiment, a filled polymer containing elements that exhibit the magnetocaloric effect provide heat transfer that can be enhanced by application of a suitable magnetic field. Focal cooling as low as 1.2&#xb0; C. has been found effective at inhibiting seizures.

Methods and devices for brain cooling for treatment and/or prevention of epileptic seizures

A catheter assembly for inserting in a fluid filled space in a body includes a main body having a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion is positionable within the fluid filled space and the second end portion is adapted to extend outward from the fluid filled space when the first end portion is positioned within the fluid filled space. The catheter assembly also includes a catheter tip that is connected to the second end portion. The catheter tip includes a housing having a cavity defined therein. The catheter tip also includes a rotating element positioned within the cavity. The rotating element is configured to rotate within the cavity to facilitate movement of the first end portion of the main body within the fluid filled space.

Catheter assembly for use with shunt systems and method of using same

A device for cooling the central nervous system (e.g., the brain) is disclosed that is specifically designed to provide cooling of an injured central nervous system for neuroprotective, antiepileptogenic, and/or antiepileptic treatments. In one embodiment, a portion of the cooling device is placed in a recess formed by removal of a portion of a patient's skull. An embedded heat-collecting portion of the cooling device is formed to fit in the location of the formed recess and a thermally conductive material of the heat-collecting portion is placed adjacent the dura mater to provide the desired degree of cooling. A heat-dissipating external plate is in thermal contact with the internal plate, and can be selectively sized according to a specific purpose.

Methods and devices for brain cooling for treatment and prevention of acquired epilepsy

A depth cooling implant system having a probe device implanted inside a targeted area of the brain, such as the medial temporal lobe, for the treatment of epilepsy is disclosed. The probe device includes a heat pipe having a sensor for detecting the temperature of surrounding brain tissue as well as a plurality of recording electrodes for monitoring EEG activity of the brain. Further, the heat pipe defines a proximal portion in operative engagement with a cooling chip that provides a nearly instantaneous cooling effect to the heating pipe in order to immediately cool the targeted area of the brain when an epileptic seizure is detected. The probe device is operatively associated with a probe controller having a computer and battery arrangement that may be implanted in the patient in order to monitor brain activity and selectively activate the cooling chip for cooling the medial temporal lobe in response to an epileptic seizure.

Depth cooling implant system

Growing community of inventors

Frontenac, MO, United States of America

Matthew Smyth