Medical Design and Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Educational Assets
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Brain emergency averted at the push of a button

May 29, 2018 By Nancy Crotti

Anuncia brain device

[Image courtesy of Anuncia]

A Boston neurosurgeon recently avoided doing emergency brain surgery on a young patient just by pressing on a new device.

The Alivio ReFlow ventricular system was embedded beneath the scalp of the unidentified hydrocephalus patient.

Comprised of a subcutaneous “flusher” component and a ventricular catheter, the device has a “relief membrane” backup feature at the catheter’s proximal end. By pushing a button on the device, the first-in-human procedure cleared a clogged shunt that directs the flow of cerebrospinal fluid to the patient’s abdomen. The device received 510(k) clearance from FDA in 2017 as well as the CE Mark and is compatible with other manufacturers’ shunts.

Named for the Greek words hydro meaning water and cephalus meaning head, hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within brain cavities called ventricles. Part of each ventricle called the choroid plexus produces the fluid. Congenital hydrocephalus occurs in one or two per 1,000 live births, but the condition may also be acquired at any age.

About 50% of shunts in children fail during the first two years following implantation, usually due to blockages by tissue from the ventricles or choroid plexus, according to the Hydrocephalus Association. Such blockages can lead to emergency revision surgery, and many patients have had multiple revision surgeries, according to PJ Anand, founder and CEO of Anuncia, the maker of the Alivio system.

“It’s devastating. It’s debilitating to the patient. It’s debilitating to the families,” Anand said. “This device offers them an option for getting away from that emergency situation.”

Anuncia has been overwhelmed by the response from parents and patients to the news of the recent procedure. One patient even asked to have the device placed prophylactically, according to the CEO.

Anand spun off Anuncia from his other company, Alcyone Lifesciences, earlier this year to allow the new firm to focus on devices for hydrocephalus. Lowell, Massachusetts-based Anuncia recently began working with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital on developing a plate to keep a ventricular catheter in position. Anand would like his company to develop a drug to eliminate ventricular catheter blockages but is happy for now with Alivio.

“We’re hoping that this will result in much more innovation going forward,” he said.

Comments

  1. Paul Beaulieu RT(MR) says

    May 29, 2018 at 7:52 pm

    Very impressive! Is this device MRI compatible? I assume we’ll start seeing them soon..

  2. William K. says

    June 4, 2018 at 1:46 pm

    The new question is about the “trigger” symptom for activating the device. How is the decision made to activate it? And the second question is about the negative results from unneeded activations. But it certainly appears to be a very useful creation.

    • Nancy Crotti says

      June 6, 2018 at 4:55 pm

      The doctor must base that on the patient’s symptoms, which can include headache, nausea and vomiting. Waiting too long to clear the clog can result in brain tissue injury.

Related Articles Read More >

An illustration of Embolization Inc.'s Nitinol Enhanced Device (NED).
This nitinol vascular embolization device has another shape memory material up its sleeve
July 2025 edition: The Surgical Robotics issue, featuring Capstan Medical, J&J and Zimmer Biomet
An illustration of the Endogenex ReCET system inside a patient.
This minimally invasive diabetes device delivers pulsed field energy in the gut
This is a rendering of the new manufacturing facility that Quasar Medical plans in Thailand.
Quasar Medical breaks ground on new Thailand manufacturing center
“mdo
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest medical device business news, application and technology trends.

DeviceTalks Weekly

See More >

MDO Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Subscribe to Medical Design & Outsourcing. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading medical design engineering magazine today.

MEDTECH 100 INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
DeviceTalks

DeviceTalks is a conversation among medical technology leaders. It's events, podcasts, webinars and one-on-one exchanges of ideas & insights.

DeviceTalks

New MedTech Resource

Medical Tubing

MassDevice

Mass Device

The Medical Device Business Journal. MassDevice is the leading medical device news business journal telling the stories of the devices that save lives.

Visit Website
MDO ad
Medical Design and Outsourcing
  • MassDevice
  • DeviceTalks
  • MedTech100 Index
  • Medical Tubing + Extrusion
  • Medical Design Sourcing
  • Drug Delivery Business News
  • Drug Discovery & Development
  • Pharmaceutical Processing World
  • R&D World
  • About Us/Contact
  • Advertise With Us
  • Subscribe to Print Magazine
  • Subscribe to our E-Newsletter
  • Listen to our Weekly Podcasts
  • Join our DeviceTalks Tuesdays Discussion

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media LLC. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Medical Design & Outsourcing

  • Home
  • Medical Device Business
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Financial
    • Regulatory
  • Applications
    • Cardiovascular
    • Devices
    • Imaging
    • Implantables
    • Medical Equipment
    • Orthopedic
    • Surgical
  • Technologies
    • Supplies and Components Index
    • Contract Manufacturing
    • Components
    • Electronics
    • Extrusions
    • Materials
    • Motion Control
    • Prototyping
    • Pumps
    • Tubing
  • MedTech Resources
    • Medtech Events in 2025
    • The 2024 Medtech Big 100
    • Medical Device Handbook
    • MedTech 100 Index
    • Subscribe to Print Magazine
    • DeviceTalks
    • Digital Editions
    • eBooks
    • Educational Assets
    • Manufacturer Search
    • Podcasts
    • Print Subscription
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
    • Views
    • Video
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Women in Medtech
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe