Miniaturized Passive Hydrogel Check Valve for Hydrocephalus Treatment

Improvements in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) draining techniques for treatment of hydrocephalus are urgently sought after to substitute for current CSF shunts that are plagued by high failure rates. The passive check valve aims to restore near natural CSF draining operations while mitigating possible failure mechanisms caused by finite leakage or low resilience that frequently constrain practical implementation of miniaturized valves. A simple hydrogel diaphragm structures core passive valve operations and enforce valve sealing properties to substantially lower reverse flow leakage. Experimental measurements demonstrate realization of targeted cracking pressures (P
_T
≈ 20-110 mmH
₂
O) and operation at -800 <; ΔP <; 600 mmH
₂
O without observable degradation or leakage.