I had a vertical-horizontal gravitational but it wasn't programmable. I had a little ball inside like a level that opened when you laid down and shut when you stood up to prevent over draining. However this didn't work for me. I needed something programmable, and I still backed up...What you're talking about sounds like a perfect combination of solution to prevent the blockages with the wider tubing. I wonder why more aren't using it? I'm here in the US though and we're the last to get everything. The IIH website I am on is UK and the doctors there seem so far ahead and so much more knowledgable than ours here. I can't believe it repaired your slit vents! The slit ventricles were the reason they didn't want to do a VP shunt on me in the first place! Last week they did a VP shunt on me and I considered it an improvement because it is the first time in 5 surgeries that they have actually put a programmable shunt in me! Why would anyone not????? Surgery is so invasive! You are one lucky duck! Keep us posted on how it goes!
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Originally Posted by Spiritgal
I was wondering if anyone else has a 'gravitational' shunt like me? It's a brand new type. I used to have a Codman programmable VP but I overdrained so badly I got slit vents. Then my NS told me he'd got a new model (less than a year old) from Germany called a Miethke proGAV. It's a VP programmable but works based on gravity and automatically regulates pressure whether you're standing or sitting so it limits posture-related overdrainage. Also, I don't have to reset it after an MRI scan or after going through airport scanners as it's resistant to even the heaviest magnet...the valve has no magnet although it's still programmable without surgery. Apparently the tubing is wide so blockage risk is reduced. Only had it a month but already my vents are back to normal size and I'm not overdraining for first time in 4 years! Apparently it's so new it's only been in the UK less than a year. I'll soon see if it's as miraculous as they make out!! Just wondered if anyone else has it or knows of anyone who has and how they've found it so far. I feel a bit like a guinea pig!!  |