Ventricular Catheter Design: Holes, Marks and Dimensions Explained

The DESU ventricular catheter is a radiopaque silicone tube 23 cm long, with a 1.3 mm inner and 2.5 mm outer diameter. Its proximal drainage section has 24 holes in four rows of six, and tantalum length marks run at every centimetre from 5 to 15 cm. The ventricular catheter kit adds a stylet and a right-angled connector, in standard or antibiotic-impregnated versions.

The catheter belongs to DESU’s neurosurgical catheters, which share the same silicone and marking approach.

What does a ventricular catheter do?

A ventricular catheter is the inflow end of a CSF shunt or drainage system. One end lies in the lateral ventricle and collects cerebrospinal fluid; the other end connects, directly or through a connector, to the valve of a shunt. Because it sits inside the brain for as long as the shunt is in place, its material, dimensions and visibility on imaging all matter. For background on why shunting is used, see our patient guide to hydrocephalus.

What are the dimensions, and why do they matter?

The inner diameter defines the lumen through which CSF travels to the valve. The outer diameter is what the surgeon passes through tissue and what has to fit the connector and the valve inlet. The same 23 cm, 1.3 mm by 2.5 mm catheter comes in the Defit, Decurve and Depus shunt kits and in the ventriculoperitoneal catheter kit, so the theatre team handles one familiar catheter whichever valve is chosen.

The 23 cm length gives the surgeon room to place the tip in the ventricle and route the remaining catheter to the valve. How much of it remains inside the ventricle is decided at surgery.

How are the 24 drainage holes arranged?

The proximal drainage section has 24 holes arranged in four rows of six. Arranging the holes in four rows, rather than in a single line, distributes the openings over the drainage section instead of concentrating them at one point of the tube.

• Count: 24 holes in total.
• Pattern: four rows of six.
• Location: the proximal section, which is the part placed in the ventricle.
• Shared with: the DESU lumbar and lumbar drainage catheters, which also carry 24 holes in four rows of six.

The intended position of the drainage section in the ventricle, and the trajectory used to reach it, are decisions for the surgeon under the instructions for use.

What do the tantalum length marks show?

Tantalum marks are placed at every centimetre from the 5th to the 15th. They give the surgeon a visible reference for how far the catheter has been advanced, a figure that can be recorded in the operative note, and because tantalum is radiopaque the marks also show up on imaging afterwards. The catheter material itself is radiopaque, so its course can be followed under imaging along its length.

We cover marks and radiopacity in more depth, including how nursing teams use them, in catheter tantalum length marks and radiopacity.

What is in the ventricular catheter kit?

• Ventricular catheter: 23 cm silicone, 1.3 mm inner and 2.5 mm outer diameter.
• Stylet: a guide placed inside the catheter to give the soft silicone support while it is passed, then withdrawn.
• Right-angled connector: the L-type catheter connector, which guides the catheter at an appropriate angle without kinking or clogging and organises the connection to the valve.

The kit is CE marked and manufactured under ISO 13485. Where the ventricular and peritoneal catheters are needed together, the ventriculoperitoneal catheter kit combines both catheters with a stylet and a right-angled connector in one pack.

Which connectors join the ventricular catheter to the system?

In a standard VP shunt kit, the right-angled connector organises the connection between the ventricular catheter and the valve. DESU also makes two further accessories that some cases call for. The straight catheter connector provides a straight joint between two catheter lines when different catheter parts need to be connected during surgery. The Y-type catheter connector is a three-way part that can provide two ventricular catheter inputs into one shunt, or combine two shunts with a single peritoneal catheter. Whether either is needed is decided by the surgeon during planning or at surgery, so ask the theatre team whether these accessories should be kept on the shelf alongside the catheter kits.

Standard or antibiotic-impregnated: what changes?

The design is the same in both versions. The difference is in the material: in the antibiotic-impregnated catheter, the antibiotic is impregnated into the silicone and released in a controlled manner over 28 days. Standard catheters are white and antibiotic-impregnated catheters are orange, which helps staff confirm the version at a glance.

Which version to use is a clinical decision. For a purchasing view of the 28-day release and how hospitals assess it, see antibiotic-impregnated catheters: the 28-day release explained, and the full range on the antibiotic-impregnated catheters page.

What should buyers and theatre teams check?

• Version: standard (white) or antibiotic-impregnated (orange), matching the order line.
• Format: catheter kit alone, ventriculoperitoneal catheter kit, or a complete shunt kit with a valve.
• Contents: catheter, stylet and right-angled connector present.
• Compatibility: the 1.3 mm by 2.5 mm catheter is the same one used in DESU shunt kits, which simplifies stocking.

Talk to a DESU product specialist

If you would like samples, specification sheets or help choosing between standard and antibiotic-impregnated ventricular catheters, DESU’s product specialists can help. Write to sales@desu.tr, use the contact page, or request a quote.