Patent ID: 8784365

Claim:
A system for controlling an infusion of fluid into brain tissue, the system comprising: a tubular fluid passageway including a neural catheter portion shaped to be introduced within brain tissue and operable to deliver a fluid to a location within the living brain tissue; a fluid infusion pump mechanically and fluidically coupled to the fluid passageway and operable to pump fluid through the neural catheter portion into the location, the fluid infusion pump having at least two fluid pumping states; a fluid pressure sensor physically independent of the fluid infusion pump and mechanically and fluidically coupled to the fluid passageway and operable to measure a pressure of the fluid within the fluid passageway, the fluid pressure sensor operably configured to measure a pressure drop of approximately 100 millimeters of mercury (2 psi) or less across a portion of the fluid passageway; a processor communicatively coupled to the fluid infusion pump and the fluid pressure sensor, the processor operable to select between the at least two fluid pumping states based upon the measured pressure of the fluid within the fluid passageway; and a display coupled to the processor and operable to indicate a numerical value of the measured pressure of the fluid and to display a graphical representation of the pressure of the fluid as measured over a period of time.