Depus Lumboperitoneal Shunt Kit: What Is in the Box
What a Depus lumboperitoneal shunt kit contains: valve, lumbar and peritoneal catheters, 14 G Tuohy needle, 0.018” guidewire, plus order codes and options.
A Depus lumboperitoneal shunt kit contains five items: a polysulfone Depus valve, a lumbar catheter, a peritoneal catheter, a 14 G Tuohy needle and a 0.018” guidewire. The kits come in low, medium and high pressure settings, with standard or antibiotic-impregnated catheters, and an antisiphon device or reservoir can be added as an option.
Key takeaways
- A Depus LP kit contains five items: Depus valve, lumbar catheter, peritoneal catheter, 14 G Tuohy needle and 0.018” guidewire.
- LP kits come in low, medium and high pressure, each with standard or antibiotic-impregnated catheters.
- An antisiphon device and a reservoir can be added as options, so agree the exact configuration when ordering.
- Patient selection, valve pressure and placement technique belong to the surgeon and the instructions for use.
Depus is the family in the DESU range of shunt systems that is offered as lumboperitoneal (LP) kits as well as ventriculoperitoneal (VP) kits. Here is the Depus LP kit item by item, with what to check when it arrives. How each item is used is decided by the surgeon and set out in the instructions for use (IFU).
What does a lumboperitoneal shunt do?
An LP shunt diverts cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the lumbar subarachnoid space to the peritoneal cavity, where it is absorbed. A VP shunt moves CSF to the same destination but starts in the ventricles of the brain. In both routes a valve sits in the pathway and a peritoneal catheter carries the fluid on to the abdomen.
For the clinical background, see our article on LP shunt mechanics and indications.
What is in a Depus LP shunt kit?
The kit has five components.
| Component | Description | Role in the kit |
|---|---|---|
| Depus valve | Polysulfone body; ruby ball and titanium spring mechanism | The valve in the CSF pathway |
| Lumbar catheter | Standard or antibiotic-impregnated | Takes CSF from the lumbar region |
| Peritoneal catheter | 120 cm; 1.1 mm inner and 2.5 mm outer diameter; standard or antibiotic-impregnated | Carries CSF from the valve into the peritoneal cavity |
| Tuohy needle | 14 G | Supports creation of the insertion path during lumbar catheter placement |
| Guidewire | 0.018” | Helps place and guide the lumbar catheter in a controlled way |
Three of these items form the shunt pathway. The Tuohy needle and guidewire are placement items, supplied so that they arrive together with the catheters they are used with.
What does the Depus valve bring to the kit?
Depus is a mechanical shunt valve with a polysulfone body. Its mechanism uses a ruby ball and a titanium spring. Fixed-pressure models are offered in low, medium and high settings, and the valve size is suitable for both paediatric and adult patients.
LP kits come in those three fixed settings; the adjustable Depus valve is a ventriculoperitoneal system. Which pressure suits a patient is a surgical decision.
What are the lumbar and peritoneal catheters like?
The peritoneal catheter is 120 cm long, with a 1.1 mm inner and 2.5 mm outer diameter.
The valveless lumboperitoneal catheter kit is the closest reference for the lumbar side: its silicone lumbar catheter is 100 cm long, with a 0.8 mm inner and 1.6 mm outer diameter, tantalum length marks from 5–20 cm and 24 drainage holes in four rows of six. Its peritoneal catheter has the same 120 cm length and the same diameters as the Depus kit, also with tantalum marks from 5–20 cm.
For a tender, take the lumbar catheter dimensions for your Depus LP code from our product specialists rather than assuming the two kits are identical. Our article on lumbar shunt catheter kits covers the valveless catheter kits in more detail.
Why does the kit include a Tuohy needle and a guidewire?
A lumbar catheter is generally introduced percutaneously into the lumbar spinal canal through a needle. The Tuohy needle is a familiar design for this kind of access: its curved tip helps direct a catheter along the canal. In needle sizing, a lower gauge number means a larger needle, and 14 G is at the larger end of the scale in common use.
The guidewire is specified in inches. A diameter of 0.018” is roughly 0.46 mm. Its job is to help place and guide the lumbar catheter in a controlled way.
How does an LP kit differ from a Depus VP kit?
The valve family and the peritoneal catheter are shared. The differences lie at the proximal end of the system and in the accessories supplied with it.
| Item | Depus VP kit | Depus LP kit |
|---|---|---|
| Valve | Depus | Depus |
| Proximal catheter | Ventricular, 23 cm | Lumbar |
| Peritoneal catheter | 120 cm | 120 cm |
| Items supplied with the catheters | Stylet and right-angled connector | 14 G Tuohy needle and 0.018” guidewire |
| Optional additions | Antisiphon device, reservoir | Antisiphon device, reservoir |
| Antibiotic-impregnated catheters | Available | Available |
Which options and order codes are available?
There are six LP kit codes, three standard and three with antibiotic-impregnated catheters.
| Pressure | Standard catheters | Antibiotic-impregnated catheters |
|---|---|---|
| Low | LPDP-L-LTCK | LPDP-L-LTACK |
| Medium | LPDP-M-LTCK | LPDP-M-LTACK |
| High | LPDP-H-LTCK | LPDP-H-LTACK |
In DESU antibiotic-impregnated catheters, the antibiotic is impregnated into the material and released in a controlled manner over 28 days. Impregnated catheters are orange and standard catheters are white, so the version can be confirmed by eye.
Two further options sit outside those six codes. The antisiphon device is intended to counter the siphon effect that can occur when the peritoneal catheter moves from horizontal to vertical. A reservoir can also be added, and the Depus family includes flat-bottom and burr-hole reservoir options. Kits supplied with an antisiphon device normally carry a code ending in “-ASD”, but the six LP codes above have no such suffix, so agree the exact code when ordering either option.
What should the team check when a kit arrives?
- Code: the LPDP code on the label matches the order, including the pressure letter.
- Version: catheters are white (standard) or orange (antibiotic-impregnated), as requested by the surgeon.
- Contents: valve, lumbar catheter, peritoneal catheter, 14 G Tuohy needle and 0.018” guidewire.
- Options: any antisiphon device or reservoir that was ordered is present.
- Label and package: intact, legible and within date, as hospital policy requires.
Depus kits are CE marked, manufactured under ISO 13485 and sterilised with ethylene oxide.
Talk to a DESU product specialist
For product codes, kit configurations or IFU copies for Depus LP shunt kits, contact our product specialists at sales@desu.tr, through the contact page, or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Depus LP kit include a fixation part?
The Depus LP kit contains five items and a fixation part is not among them, although the separate lumboperitoneal catheter kit includes one. If your team expects one, our product specialists can confirm the contents of your code before you order.
Is a stylet or right-angled connector included?
No. Those two items come with Depus VP kits. The LP kit has the 14 G Tuohy needle and 0.018” guidewire instead.
Can catheters for an LP shunt be ordered without a valve?
Yes. The lumboperitoneal catheter kit supplies a lumbar and a peritoneal catheter with a 14 G Tuohy needle and a guidewire, and has no valve. The lumbar catheter kit supplies the lumbar catheter on its own with its application items.
Is the kit suitable for children?
The valve size is suitable for both paediatric and adult patients. Whether an LP shunt is appropriate for a particular patient, child or adult, is a clinical decision for the surgeon.
Related standards
- ISO 7197: Neurosurgical implants — Sterile, single-use hydrocephalus shunts and components
- ISO 11135: Sterilization of health-care products — Ethylene oxide
- ISO 13485: Medical devices — Quality management systems