A Physical Framework for Testing and Evaluating of a Mechatronic Shunting System

Abstract

Shunt is a flexible tube called a catheter implanted inside the brain where cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is produced. Existing treatments rely on passive implantable shunts with differential pressure valves. The authors defined, designed, and programmed an intelligent wireless hydrocephalus shunting system. The shunting system was designed, simulated, and tested to carry out many tasks such as regulating the mechatronic valve, collecting Injection Control Pressure (ICP) readings, analyzing these readings, responding to all emergency cases, and diagnosing the whole shunting system. Nowadays, many challenges face clinical trials for new medical devices. Clinical trials are complex and require following several rules and regulations to ensure compliance with different standards. Due to the difficulty of using medical trials, an urgent need for a physical framework for implementing a virtual model of intracranial pressure and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics in hydrocephalus mechatronic shunt testing. Such a physical framework will play a vital role in assessing the functioning of the whole mechatronic shunting system. A framework of a mechatronic shunting system (implanted and external) is illustrated and integrated with embedded management and diagnosis software. Such a framework will help assess, test, and evaluate the main functions of the proposed shunting system.