Mounting device for external cerebrospinal fluid drainage: the Freiburg Stativ.
BACKGROUND
External drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is one of the most common neurosurgical procedures. It is important to maintain a stable drainage rate, but with the commonly available mountings for CSF drainage this can be difficult to achieve. The drainage rate is dependent on the height-difference between the CSF space and the drip chamber of the device. Most mountings for open CSF drainage cannot be satisfactorily fixed at the bed of the patient; especially if the head of the bed is moved, there is a risk of over- or underdrainage.


METHODS
We have therefore constructed a mounting for open CSF drainage which allows appropriate adjustment of the rate of CSF outflow, even if the patient's head part of the bed is moved.


RESULTS
The device was easily mountable or exchangeable at any hospital bed and served equally well for ventricular or for lumbar drainage.


CONCLUSIONS
We think that this device can help to reduce serious complication of over- or underdrainage in external CSF drainage.
Freiman
Thomas M
TM
Department of Neurosurgery, Albert-Ludwigs-University, University Hospital, Breisacher Strasse 64, 79106 Freiburg, Germany. thomas.freiman@uniklinik-freiburg.de
Spiegelberg
Andreas
A
D001513:Beds / Q000592:standards*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000592:standards*; D015170:Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D004322:Drainage / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004389:Durable Medical Equipment / Q000592:standards*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000451:nursing / Q000601:surgery; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D014696:Ventriculostomy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods