Slide deck (pdf) Video (YouTube)

Problem

Hydrocephalus affects an estimated 700,000 adults and 1 in 2000 infants and is the result of a buildup of cerebral spinal fluid in the brain. The preferred treatment is endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) in which the wall of the third ventricle is punctured to allow fluid to drain. Following the ventricle path of the brain with a catheter and endoscope to make the puncture is a challenging procedure for neurosurgeons.

Solution

For our project (and later publication), we aimed to improve this procedure using a low-force, soft catheter which grows from the tip under internal fluid pressure. The catheter can be molded on a custom 3D print of the ventricle path obtained from the patient’s MRI and grows into the ventricle, navigating sharp changes in direction with minimum friction and normal force. The catheter costs pennies to produce and considerably lowers skill for the procedure, making it more accessible to patients.

Skills: prototyping, data acquisition, CAD from MRI models

Soft Catheter