An adapter for stereotactic insertion of unitized shunt systems

Abstract When ventricles are small or distorted, or when a cyst is located deep within the brain, positioning of the proximal catheter of a shunt system may be difficult. An adapter that allows for insertion of a unitized shunt system using the Brown Roberts Wells stereotactic system is described. Using this adapter, the proximal catheter tip of the shunt system is inserted to a defined stereotactic location, eliminating the need for multiple passes when attempting to cannulate small ventricles or deep cystic lesions.