Investigating how shunt blockages occur in hydrocephalus treatment.
Official title: New Bioreactor System to Test the Mechanisms that Underlay Catheter Malfunction Under Hydrocephalic Conditions.
Funded at Children's Hospital of Orange County · NIH-10795920 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking into why shunts used to treat hydrocephalus sometimes stop working, and it's creating a special system to mimic the conditions in the body to find ways to make these shunts better, which could help patients have more successful treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hospital of Orange County NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orange, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $255,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R21NS128707-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10795920 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are pediatric patients diagnosed with hydrocephalus who require cerebrospinal fluid shunt placement.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with hydrocephalus who are not candidates for shunt placement or those who have alternative treatment plans may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding why cerebrospinal fluid shunts, which are crucial for treating hydrocephalus, often fail. The team is developing a new bioreactor system that simulates the conditions of hydrocephalus, including the pressure and cellular environment, to study the mechanisms behind shunt obstruction. By examining how certain cells and inflammatory responses contribute to these blockages, the research aims to improve the design and functionality of shunts. Patients may benefit from advancements in shunt technology that could reduce failure rates and improve treatment outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective cerebrospinal fluid shunts, reducing the rate of shunt failure in patients with hydrocephalus.
How similar studies have gone: While there have been studies on shunt technology, this approach using a novel bioreactor system to mimic hydrocephalic conditions is relatively new and untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hospital of Orange County
Orange, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Castaneyra Ruiz, Leandro — Children's Hospital of Orange County
- Study coordinator: Castaneyra Ruiz, Leandro
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.