Patent ID: 7806876

Claim:
A surgically implantable device, comprising: a housing having an inlet opening, an outlet opening and an interior conduit defined therein between the inlet opening and the outlet opening; and a manipulatable housing valve positioned between the inlet opening and the outlet opening for selectively permitting fluid communication between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, the housing valve comprising an elongate member supported within the housing, the elongate member being movable between an open position, in which fluid communication is permitted between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, and a closed position, in which the elongate member occludes fluid communication between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, wherein at least one end of the elongate member protrudes through an external surface of the housing, the at least one end of the elongate member being subcutaneously manipulatable for moving the elongate member between the open and closed positions, wherein the elongate member includes a transverse bore formed therethrough, the bore aligning with the interior conduit when the elongate member is in the open position for permitting fluid communication between the inlet opening and the outlet opening, wherein the elongate member has a non-circular cross section, and wherein the elongate member is supported within a support hole of the housing that has a non-circular cross-section corresponding in shape to that of the elongate member, the correspondingly shaped cross-sections of the elongate member and the support hole preventing a misalignment of the transverse bore and the interior conduit in the open position.