Unobstructing magnetic microactuators for implantable catheters

Novel unobstructing magnetic microactuators have been designed, fabricated, and tested for use as devices to prevent flow obstruction in implantable catheters. The initial target application is hydrocephalus, which is a neurological disease (commonly known as the ldquowater on the brainrdquo) that often requires long-term implantation of a shunt system to divert excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain to the abdomen. Chronically implanted shunt systems have a short lifespan (~40% failure rate after 1 year) due to progressive biological blockage at the inlet pores of the catheter. Undetected blockage can result in catastrophic failure and inflict serious harm to patients. Our research objective is to embed magnetic microactuators into catheters to combat the pore occlusion.