TherVoyant: Catheter backflow reducer
This project has been secured to protect intellectual property.
Login for More InformationHydrogel tipped catheter that works to prevent backflow during expensive treatments for brain diseases.
Project Overview
Using a catheter during convection enhanced drug delivery leads to micro-tears in the brain tissue, allowing for backflow of the drug to occur. Backflow is when the path created by the stepped catheter allows the drug to seep away from the desired delivery site. This backflow results in a less effective treatment and possible damage to the healthy brain tissue. Our team has been tasked with eliminating this backflow by adhering a fiber reinforced hydrogel to the stepped portion of the catheter and using fluid modeling to determine its efficacy. The hydrogel will adhere to both the catheter and the brain tissue once sufficient time in the brain has been achieved, and once the treatment has been completed, the desired outcome is for the hydrogel to remain in the brain and breakdown in vivo after removing the catheter. The hydrogel tipped catheter must be able to hold its shape under the one to ten microliters per minute while also being MRI compatible, biocompatible, and sterile. If all goes well, the hydrogel and catheter should have a manufacturing process that is easily repeatable, so that it can become more commonly used in industry to deliver drugs to the brain.
Team Picture
Contact Information
Team Members
- Nicole Hanson - Team Leader
- Anna Mercord - Communicator
- Sophia Rief - BSAC
- Frida Albiter Benitez - Co-BWIG
- Riley Meyer - Co-BWIG
- Abhi Kumar - BPAG
Advisor and Client
- Prof. Melissa Skala - Advisor
- Dr. Terrence Oakes - Client