Patent ID: 7967771

Claim:
A system for use in draining fluid from a brain or spinal fluid cavity unto another body cavity of a human being, comprising: a first drainage tube having an inlet thereof configured to be located in said brain or spinal fluid cavity, said first drainage tube connected to the inlet of a fluid flow controllable valve, one or more sensor(s) configured to measure fluid pressure in one of: the brain cavity, the spinal cavity and said another body cavity, when located in such cavity or attached to said first drainage tube inside or outside such cavity, a pressure transducer linked to said sensor(s) and capable of transforming continuous pressure-related signals derivable from said sensor(s) into processable signals, a processing unit configured to receive said processable signals, a valve-opening regulator having an input linked to output means of the processing unit via a regulator unit and a control unit and having its output operatively connected to said valve to control fluid flow mass rate through said valve, a second drainage tube from an outlet of said valve, said second drainage tube at a downstream end having a distal outlet configured to be located in said another human body cavity, and a power supply to power said pressure transducer, said processing unit, said valve opening regulator, said control unit, and said regulator unit, wherein said processing unit comprises: sampling means configured to sample said pressure-related signals at specific intervals, converter means configured to convert the sampled signals into pressure related digital data with a time reference, identifying means capable of identifying from said digital data single pressure waves related to cardiac beat-induced pressure waves, related to artifacts, or a combination of cardiac beat-induced waves and artifacts, computing means configured to compute time sequence (TS.x)-related parameters of said single pressure waves during individual time sequence windows, analyzing means configured to establish an analysis output of said time sequence (TS.x)-related parameters for a selectable number of said time sequence windows, and output means for delivering said analysis output as parameter signals to said regulator unit.