Neurosurgical Catheter Kits Compared: All Six DESU Kits

Neurosurgical catheter kits compared: all six DESU kits in one table, with diameters, lengths, tantalum marks, drainage holes, accessories and order codes.

DESU makes six silicone catheter kits: ventricular, peritoneal, ventriculoperitoneal, lumbar, lumboperitoneal and lumbar drainage. They differ in catheter, length and accessories, and each comes in a standard and an antibiotic-impregnated version. The ventricular, peritoneal and lumbar kits hold one catheter, the VP and LP kits pair two, and the lumbar drainage kit is built for external drainage.

Key takeaways

• DESU makes six silicone catheter kits, each with a standard and an antibiotic-impregnated version.
• Ventricular and peritoneal catheters share a 2.5 mm outer diameter; lumbar catheters are 1.6 mm.
• The 100 cm lumbar catheter is for shunting; the 80 cm lumbar catheter is for external drainage.
• Accessories follow the route: stylet and connector for ventricular kits, Tuohy needle and guidewire for lumbar kits.

The table below brings the full neurosurgical catheters range together for theatre teams and hospital buyers. For definitions of the terms used, see the neurosurgical catheter glossary.

How do the six DESU catheter kits compare?

All six use silicone catheters, and the antibiotic-impregnated versions keep the same dimensions as the standard ones.

What are the order codes for each kit?

Which kits are for shunts and which are for external drainage?

Five of the six kits relate to implanted shunts. The sixth is for external drainage.

• Ventricular catheter kit: the proximal catheter that transfers CSF from the ventricular system into the shunt system.
• Peritoneal catheter kit: the distal catheter that carries CSF from the shunt system into the peritoneal cavity.
• Ventriculoperitoneal catheter kit: both of those catheters together.
• Lumbar catheter kit: the lumbar shunt catheter on its own, with its placement accessories.
• Lumboperitoneal catheter kit: the lumbar and peritoneal catheters together.
• Lumbar drainage catheter kit: carries CSF from the lumbar region to an external drainage system.

None of the six includes a valve. Where a valve is needed as well, the shunt kits in the Defit, Decurve and Depus families supply it with the catheters. The ventricular catheter used in EVD sets is also a separate product, with its own dimensions, so it is not one of the six.

How do diameters and lengths relate across the kits?

The table shows a simple pattern. Catheters fall into two outer diameters: 2.5 mm for ventricular and peritoneal catheters, and 1.6 mm for lumbar catheters. Inner diameters differ more: 1.3 mm ventricular, 1.1 mm peritoneal and 0.8 mm lumbar.

Three points are easy to miss when reading a code list:

• The peritoneal catheter is the same specification in the peritoneal, VP and LP kits: 1.1 / 2.5 mm, 120 cm, with marks from 5–20 cm.
• The two lumbar catheters share their diameters and hole pattern but not their length. The 100 cm catheter belongs to the shunt kits and the 80 cm catheter to the drainage kit.
• Length marks run from 5–15 cm only on the ventricular catheter. Every other catheter is marked from 5–20 cm.

What do the accessories tell you about each kit?

The contents follow the route. Ventricular kits are built around guiding and connecting the catheter, and lumbar kits around creating an insertion path.

• Stylet: supports guided, controlled advancement of the ventricular catheter.
• Right-angled connector: helps orient the ventricular catheter at an appropriate angle and forms the connection with the rest of the shunt system.
• Tuohy needle: supports creation of the insertion path for a lumbar catheter.
• Guidewire: helps guide the catheter in a controlled way.
• Fixation tab: part of all three lumbar kits.
• Angled trocar: supports guidance and placement of the lumbar drainage catheter.
• Luer Lock connector and distal cap: link the lumbar drainage catheter to the drainage system.

The peritoneal kit is the only one supplied without accessories. How each component is used is set out in the instructions for use, and technique is the surgeon’s decision.

What changes in the antibiotic-impregnated versions?

The difference is in the material, not the build. In 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 white, while dimensions, silicone and tantalum marks stay the same.

The lumboperitoneal kit needs one extra check. In its antibiotic-impregnated system the lumbar catheter is impregnated, and the peritoneal catheter is an antibiotic-impregnated option, so state which is required when ordering. For more on what the option changes, see antibiotic-impregnated vs standard catheters.

Which kit fits which need?

Most orders come down to which catheters are needed and whether a valve is already on hand:

• One proximal catheter for a shunt system: ventricular catheter kit.
• One distal catheter for a shunt system: peritoneal catheter kit.
• Both VP catheters together, no valve: ventriculoperitoneal catheter kit.
• A lumbar shunt catheter alone: lumbar catheter kit.
• Both LP catheters together, no valve: lumboperitoneal catheter kit.
• External lumbar drainage: lumbar drainage catheter kit.

Then, for each line, decide between standard and antibiotic-impregnated. That choice follows the surgeon’s preference and the hospital’s protocol.

Talk to a DESU product specialist

For help matching the six kits to your theatre list or tender, DESU’s product specialists can go through the codes with you. Write to sales@desu.tr, use the contact page, or request a quote.

Frequently asked questions

Which DESU catheter kits include a stylet?

The ventricular and ventriculoperitoneal catheter kits. Each includes a stylet and a right-angled connector. The lumbar, lumboperitoneal and lumbar drainage kits use a Tuohy needle and guidewire instead.

What size is the Tuohy needle in the lumbar kits?

The lumbar and lumboperitoneal catheter kits include a 14 G Tuohy needle. The lumbar drainage catheter kit also includes a Tuohy needle, and a DESU product specialist can confirm the gauge if your specification needs it.

Are the catheters in the kits radiopaque?

Yes. The ventricular, peritoneal, lumbar and lumbar drainage catheters are radiopaque silicone, so their position can be followed under imaging. All of them carry tantalum length marks.

Can the antibiotic-impregnated kits be identified without reading the code?

Yes, by colour: impregnated catheters are orange and standard catheters white. The label remains the reference for the exact configuration, particularly for the lumboperitoneal kit.

Related standards

• ISO 13485: Medical devices — Quality management systems
• ISO 10993 series: Biological evaluation of medical devices