Patent ID: 6953444

Claim:
An anti-siphon shunt device for regulating fluid flow in a patient, comprising: a housing defined by a chamber for fluid flow therethrough, an inlet port for passage of fluid into the chamber, and an outlet port for release of fluid from the chamber; a valve mechanism disposed within the housing for regulating fluid flow through the chamber over a pressure gradient, the valve mechanism including a barrier mounted within the chamber having an opening thereon for fluid flow therethrough, and a blocking element configured to seat against the opening to prevent fluid flow therethrough; a pressure sensor for detecting an external pressure surrounding the chamber; and a biasing element in communication with the pressure sensor, wherein the pressure sensor communicates with the biasing element to cause the biasing element to exert a biasing force against a first surface of the blocking element; wherein a countervailing pressure acts upon a second surface of the blocking element in a direction opposite to the biasing force, the area of the first surface exposed to the biasing force being substantially equal to the area of the second surface exposed to the countervailing pressure.