Miethke M.blue & M.blue plus -Adjustable Valves
ONE valve for the unique requirements of a life with hydrocephalus: mobility, growth, changes in the course of disease. unique uncompromising pressure adaption to optimize individual patient needs. smallest adjustable gravitational valve worldwide. 2-in-1 technology: adjustable gravitational unit combined with fixed differential pressure unit in one valve. protected against over-drainage through individually and continuously adjustable opening pressure from 0-40 cmH2O. MRI-compatible up to 3 Tesla: no X-ray control after MRI necessary, no additional radiation exposure for the patient. protected against unintentional adjustment by means of exposure to magnets found in daily life, such as those used in smartphones, toys, induction cookers or safety barriers at the airport. Innovative M.blue plus Instruments for M.blue and proGAV 2.0. Intuitive, safe and comfortable adjustment. precise precision engineering. robust and durable: made of titanium.
The M.blue is the essence of 26 years of experience with hydrocephalus and valve technology and the feedback of numerous doctors and patients worldwide.
The M.blue is a position-dependent hydrocephalus valve. It consists of an adjustable gravitational unit and a fixed differential pressure unit.
The combination of these two units ensures automatic adjustment of the opening pressure depending on the patient`s body position and thus counteracts the risk of possible over-drainage complications, especially in the upright and active body position.
The M.blue is a hydrocephalus valve operating in a position-dependent manner. It consists of an adjustable gravitational unit and a fixed differential pressure unit.
The combination of these two units ensures automatic adjustment of the opening pressure depending on the patient`s body position and thus counteracts the risk of possible over-drainage complications, especially in the upright and active body position.
Particularly challenging and difficult forms of hydrocephalus require a much greater flexibility in treatment. This is what the M.blue plus stands for: a combination of an adjustable gravitational unit and an adjustable differential pressure unit (proGAV 2.0).
Both M.blue variants are made of robust and biocompatible titanium and are the result of precise precision engineering.
The differential pressure unit in the M.blue is available in the units 0, 5, 10 and 15 cmH2O. The selected opening pressure of the differential pressure unit is equally effective in all body positions. When lying down, the differential pressure unit acts alone and usually has a low selected opening pressure, so that the valve drains brain water as needed when the brain pressure increases during sleep and rest phases. A microspiral spring that presses a sapphire ball into a ball seat is responsible for maintaining the correct pressure. If the brain pressure rises above the selected opening pressure, the spring gives way, the differential pressure valve opens and allows brain fluid to pass through until the brain pressure has dropped again accordingly.
The gravitational unit in the M.blue is adjustable from 0-40 cmH2O and is only active in the upright body position. Now the sum of both units - gravitational and differential pressure unit - determines the total opening pressure of the M.blue. The more upright the patient is, the higher the opening pressure of the M.blue. The considerably higher opening pressure in the active phases of the day is particularly important because hydrostatic and hydrodynamic phenomena in the shunt system take effect in the upright body position and there is otherwise a risk of overdrainage.
The opening pressure of the gravitational unit is determined by a combination of rotor, rod spring, tantalum weight and sapphire ball. The tantalum weight holds a sapphire ball in the ball seat via a lever, which closes or opens the valve. Depending on the body position of the patient, the influence of a tantalum weight on a sapphire ball changes and thus the valve opening pressure. The preload of the rod spring connected to the lever can be adjusted via a rotor using the M.blue plus Instruments and can influence the desired opening pressure.