Oct 19 2010
Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corp (Nasdaq:IART) will feature the new Integra™ Flow Regulating Valve, Mini, a smaller version of the Integra NPH™ Low Flow Valve, at the 2010 Congress of Neurological Surgeons Annual Meeting in San Francisco, California, October 16-21, 2010. The Integra™ Flow Regulating Valve, Mini is Integra's newest implantable shunt valve used in the management of hydrocephalus and was designed with a lower profile than the Integra NPH™ valve to accommodate various patient populations, particularly patients with thin, fragile skin.
The Integra™ Flow Regulating Valve, Mini operates via variable flow resistance, to ensure that the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is maintained at a physiological rate, thus minimizing the potential risks of both postural and vasogenic overdrainage.
In normal operation, the Integra™ Flow Regulating Valve, Mini provides a flow rate of between 8 and 17 ml/hr. During periods of low intracranial pressure (ICP), the valve closes to interrupt CSF flow, as would a standard differential pressure valve. In the event of a sudden abnormal increase in ICP, the valve fully opens (safety mode), rapidly returning ICP to normal levels.
"Integra is committed to providing neurosurgeons with a range of hydrocephalous management options that help best accommodate the patient's condition," said Chris Thatcher, President, Integra Neurosurgery.
Each year there are approximately 50,000 shunt cases for the treatment of hydrocephalus. According to industry sources, the total U.S. market for hydrocephalus management is estimated at over $100 million.
Integra currently offers an extensive range of hydrocephalus management products and accessories, including the Integra NPH™ Low Flow, OSV II®, Integra DP™, Equi-Flow™, Novus™, LPV II™, Pudenz and H-V Lumbar valves, as well as ventricular, lumbar, peritoneal and atrial catheters.
SOURCE Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation