[0009] The housing can have a variety of configurations, but in one embodiment the housing can include an elongate member extending therefrom and adapted to be disposed within a bone hole. The elongate member can have a variety of configurations, and it can include a first lumen in fluid communication with the fluid inlet port, and optionally a second lumen in fluid communication with the fluid outlet port. The elongate member can include other features, such as an external surface that is adapted to facilitate bone in-growth into the elongate member. For example, the elongate member can include bone-engaging surface features or a surface coating. In other embodiments, the device can also include a sleeve that is removably disposed around the elongate member and that is adapted to be disposed within a bone hole to anchor the elongate member within the bone hole. The sleeve can include a flange formed on a terminal end thereof and adapted to abut against a bone surface. The sleeve can also include a mating element formed on an inner surface thereof and adapted to removably mate to a complementary mating element formed on an outer surface of the elongate member.
[0010] In another embodiment, the housing can include a central portion that is adapted to be disposed within a lumen, and opposed first and second ends that are adapted to be positioned adjacent to opposed ends of the lumen to anchor the central portion within the lumen. The fluid inlet port can be formed in the first end of the housing and the fluid outlet port can be formed in the second end of the housing. The central portion can have a variety of configurations, but in one exemplary embodiment it can have a substantially cylindrical shape that is configured to be disposed within a substantially cylindrical lumen. The flow control component can be disposed within an inner lumen or bore formed in the central portion, or the bore can form the flow control component and it can have a diameter that is effective to control fluid flow therethrough. The first and second ends of the housing can also have a variety of configurations, but in one embodiment the first and second ends of the housing can be expandable.
[0011] In other aspects, a shunt system is provided having a shunt with first and second catheters and a flow control component coupled therebetween for controlling fluid flow from the first catheter to the second catheter. The system also includes a dual-lumen cannula having first and second lumens extending therethrough for respectively receiving the first and second catheters. The first lumen can have an opening that is positioned a distance apart from an opening in the second lumen such that the opening in the first lumen can be positioned to receive fluid from a subarachnoid space in a spinal column and the opening in the second lumen can be positioned to deliver fluid to an epidural space in a spinal column. In an exemplary embodiment, a portion of the first lumen adjacent to the opening is curved to guide the first catheter into the subarachnoid space, and a portion of the second lumen adjacent to the opening is curved to guide the second catheter into the epidural space.
[0012] Methods for shunting fluid are also provided, and in one embodiment the method can include positioning an inlet port of a shunt to receive fluid from a subarachnoid space in a spinal column, and positioning an outlet port of the shunt to deliver fluid to an epidural space of the spinal column such that fluid is drained from the subarachnoid space into the epidural space. While the shunt can have various configurations, one exemplary shunt includes a flow control component in fluid communication with the inlet and outlet ports for controlling fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port. The inlet port can be formed in a terminal end of a first catheter coupled to the flow control component, and the outlet port can be formed in a terminal end of a second catheter coupled to the flow control component. Positioning the inlet port can include forming a hole through a dura mater into the subarachnoid space and positioning at least a portion of the shunt through the hole in the dura mater to position the inlet port to receive fluid from the subarachnoid space, and positioning the outlet port can include forming a bone hole through a lamina into the epidural space and positioning at least a portion of the shunt through the bone hole in the lamina to position the outlet port to deliver fluid to the epidural space. In an exemplary embodiment, the shunt can include an elongate member and the inlet port can extend into a first lumen in the elongate member and the outlet port can extend into a second lumen in the elongate member. The elongate member can be inserted through the bone hole in the lamina. Inserting the elongate member can include threadably mating the elongate member to a sleeve positioned within the bone hole in the lamina. In other embodiments, positioning the inlet and outlet ports can include inserting a dual-lumen cannula through tissue to position an open end of a first lumen of the member within the epidural space, and to position an open end of a second lumen of the member within the subarachnoid space, and inserting a first catheter through the first lumen to position an end of the first catheter within the epidural space, and inserting a second catheter through the second lumen to position an end of the second catheter within the subarachnoid space.
[0013] The method can further include anchoring the flow control component adjacent to the spinal column. For example, the flow control component can be anchored to a vertebra. Exemplary anchoring locations include the spinous process of a vertebra. In other embodiments, the flow control component can be anchored to soft tissues surrounding a vertebra.
[0014] In yet another embodiment, a method of shunting fluid is provided and includes positioning an inlet port of a shunt at a location within a patient's body in which cerebrospinal fluid can flow into the inlet port, and anchoring a flow control component of the shunt to at least one of a vertebra and soft tissue surrounding a vertebra. The flow control component is disposed between the inlet port and an outlet port of the shunt for controlling cerebrospinal fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port. The method further includes positioning the outlet port of the shunt at a location within the patient's body in which cerebrospinal fluid flowing from the outlet port can be drained. In certain exemplary embodiments, the flow control component can be anchored to a location on a vertebra, such as of a spinous process, a lamina, and a transverse process.