Tool For Adjusting An Implantable Adjustable Fluid Flow Control Valve

Abstract

Tools for determining and adjusting the setting of an adjustable valve are disclosed. These tools allow a medical professional to locate and non-invasively determine the setting of an implanted valve. After the valve has been located and the setting of the valve determined, the valve may be re-adjusted non-invasively. There are three tools: a locator tool, an indicator tool and an adjustment tool. The locator tool allows the physician to locate the adjustable valve of interest and align the locator tool with a specific orientation of the valve. The indicator tool indicates the current setting of the adjustable valve and confirms new settings of the valve after the new settings have been implemented. The adjustment tool interacts magnetically with the implanted adjustable valve to couple with a movable internal element to change the setting of the valve. The indicator tool and the adjustment tool physically cooperate with the locator tool to accomplish the respective functions of the tools.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for determining a current setting of a valve implanted subdermally in a patient, the system comprising:
 a locator tool having a tube and a deck that defines a device accepting volume;   wherein the tube includes a wall with an inner surface;   wherein the deck defines a locator opening and includes an outer edge;   wherein the outer edge is connected to the inner surface of the wall;   wherein the device accepting volume is a region defined by the inner surface of the wall and the deck; and   an indicator tool having a magnetized indicator and configured to be received in the device accepting volume.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the tube has at least one indentation. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the tube includes a slot. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the locator tool further includes an upper surface of the tube, the upper surface having an indentation. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetized indicator may rotate around to align with a magnetic field. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator tool further includes an indicator central body defining an indicator central opening adapted to receive the magnetized indicator. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the indicator central body includes an index indicating possible current settings of the valve. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the indicator tool further includes an index visually indicating at least one possible setting of the valve. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the indicator tool further includes a protrusion. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the locator tool further includes a visible arrow. 
     
     
         11 . A method for determining a current setting of a valve implanted subdermally in a patient, the method comprising:
 aligning a locator tool having a tube and a deck that defines a device accepting volume such that a locator opening covers at least some of the valve;   inserting an indicator tool having a magnetized indicator into the device accepting volume of the locator tool from a side of the locator tool opposite the valve;   and   determining the current setting of the valve based on a position of said magnetized indicator.   
     
     
         12 . A system for adjusting a current setting of a valve implanted subdermally in a patient, the system comprising:
 a locator tool having a tube and a deck that defines a device accepting volume; and   an adjustment tool having a magnet and configured to be inserted into the device accepting volume.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the tube has at least one indentation. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the locator tool further includes an upper surface of the tube, the upper surface having an indentation. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the adjustment tool further includes a protrusion. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the locator tool further includes a visible arrow. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the adjustment tool further includes a visible arrow. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the adjustment tool further includes an adjustment central body. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the adjustment tool further includes a first visible arrow; and the locator tool further includes a second visible arrow and an index visually indicating a possible setting of the valve. 
     
     
         20 . A method for adjusting a current setting of a valve implanted subdermally in a patient, the method comprising:
 aligning a locator tool having a tube and a deck that defines a device accepting volume such that a locator opening covers at least some of the valve;   inserting an adjustment tool having a magnet within into the device accepting volume of the locator tool, from a side of the locator tool opposite the valve; and   changing the current setting of the valve by rotating the adjustment tool within the device accepting volume.   
     
     
         21 . A hydrocephalus shunt system comprising:
 a valve having a surface and a magnet;   a locator tool having a tube and a deck that defines a device accepting volume;   an indicator tool having a compass, the compass including a magnetized pointer; and   an adjustment tool having a magnet.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the valve further includes a dome, and wherein a locator opening is in the shape of the dome. 
     
     
         23 . A valve adjustment kit for adjusting a current setting of a valve implanted subdermally in a patient, the kit comprising:
 a locator tool having a tube and a deck that defines a device accepting volume;   an indicator tool having a compass, the compass having a magnetized pointer; and   an adjustment tool having a magnet.   
     
     
         24 . A method for adjusting a current setting of a valve implanted subdermally in a patient, the method comprising:
 aligning a locator tool having a tube and a deck that defines a device accepting volume such that a locator opening covers at least some of the valve;   inserting an indicator tool into the device accepting volume of the locator tool from a side of the locator tool opposite the valve, the indicator tool having a magnetized indicator;   determining the current setting of the valve based on a position of the magnetized indicator;   inserting an adjustment tool having a magnet into the device accepting volume of the locator tool, from a side of the locator tool opposite the valve;   changing the current setting of the valve by moving the adjustment tool within the device accepting volume; and   removing the adjustment tool from the locator tool, from the side of the locator tool opposite the valve.   
     
     
         25 . A system for use in adjusting a current setting of a valve implanted subdermally in a patient comprising:
 a locator tool having a deck and a wall extending from the deck that defines a tool accepting volume; and   an adjustment tool sized to be rotatably received in the tool accepting volume and rotate relative to the locator tool to adjust a setting of the valve.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the deck defines a locator opening passing through the deck. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein the locator opening has a perimeter edge shaped to substantially correspond to a tactile physical characteristic of the implanted valve. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27 , wherein the locator opening is shaped to have a direction of orientation that will correspond to a direction of orientation of the implanted valve upon aligning the locator opening relative to the tactile physical characteristic. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the wall is a tubular wall extending from the deck and having an inner surface sized to rotatably receive the adjustment tool. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein the adjustment tool includes a magnet configured to adjust the setting of the implanted valve upon rotating the adjustment tool relative to the locator tool. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein an adjustment tool further includes a direction indicator on the adjustment tool. 
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the adjustment tool further includes an outer wall sized and shaped to be rotatably received within the inner surface of the tube. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 25 , further comprising an indicator tool sized to be removably received in the tool accepting volume and having an indicator to indicate a setting of the valve. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the indicator is a magnetic pointer. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the indicator tool is keyed to the wall extending from the deck.