Device and method for finding the center and reading the setting of an implantable medical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9427559-B2
Application number	US-201514847744-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2015
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A centering tool and a combined centering-indicator tool for finding the magnetic center and indicating the setting of an implantable adjustable valve. The centering and combined centering-indicator tools include a magnetic capsule movable within a cavity to a target located on the tool when the magnetic capsule is centered over magnet of an adjustable valve.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A centering tool for finding a center of an adjustable valve, the tool comprising:
a housing including a cavity;
a magnetic capsule comprising a tool magnet having at least two magnets, the magnetic capsule disposed within the cavity; and
a target;
wherein the magnetic capsule is configured to slide within the cavity and center within the target when the tool magnet is magnetically aligned with a magnet of an adjustable valve.

2. The centering tool of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an upper wall and wherein the magnetic capsule is visible through the upper wall.

3. The centering tool of claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises a circular-disk shape.

4. The centering tool of claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two tool magnets comprise a vertical polarity with respect to an axis of the magnetic capsule.

5. The centering tool of claim 1 , wherein the at least two tool magnets are adjacent one another.

6. The centering tool of claim 1 , wherein the tool magnet has at least three magnets.

7. The centering tool of claim 6 , wherein the at least two magnets are a Halbach array.

8. The centering tool of claim 1 , further comprising a strip attached to the at least two tool magnets.

9. The centering tool of claim 8 , wherein the strip is attached via magnetic attraction.

10. The centering tool of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic capsule has a magnetic capsule housing that has an arrow shape.

11. The centering tool of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid within the cavity.

12. A system for finding the magnetic center and indicating the setting of an implanted adjustable valve, the system comprising:
a locator tool comprising a tube;
a combined centering-indicator tool comprising:
a housing including a cavity and an index comprising valve setting values:
a magnetic capsule comprising a tool magnet having at least two magnets and a pointer, the magnetic capsule disposed within the cavity; and
a target disposed in the cavity;
wherein the magnetic capsule is configured to move within the cavity to center itself within the target when the tool magnet is magnetically aligned with the magnetic center of the adjustable valve magnet;
wherein the magnetic capsule is configured to rotate with respect to a magnetic capsule axis such that the pointer rotates to point to a valve setting value on the index;
wherein the combined centering-indicator tool is configured to be positioned with the tube of the locator tool when the locator tool is in proximity to the implanted adjustable valve.

13. The centering tool of claim 12 , wherein the at least two tool magnets are adjacent one another.

14. The centering tool of claim 12 , wherein the tool magnet has at least three magnets.

15. The centering tool of claim 14 , wherein the at least two magnets are a Halbach array.

16. The centering tool of claim 12 , further comprising a strip attached to the at least two tool magnets.

17. The centering tool of claim 16 , wherein the strip is attached via magnetic attraction.

18. The centering tool of claim 12 , wherein the magnetic capsule has a magnetic capsule housing that has an arrow shape.

19. The centering tool of claim 12 , further comprising a fluid within the cavity.

Assignees

• Medtronic Xomed Inc

Inventors

• Shah Deep
• Cepeda Tony Daniel
• Speckman Lori
• Bertrand W Jeff
• Hampton Lawrence

Classifications

• Y10T137/8225

  Position or extent of motion indicator · CPC title

• A61M27/006 Primary

  Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves · CPC title

• F16K37/0008

  Mechanical means (F16K37/0075 takes precedence) · CPC title