Development of a Prototype Smart External Ventricular Drainage System

Abstract

Background: Traditional cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage systems lack precise control and continuous monitoring of drainage volume, increasing the risk of complications from overdrainage or underdrainage. Furthermore, the lack of an automatic alert system for abnormalities forces medical personnel to rely on manual observation and assessment, resulting in limited accuracy and continuity.

Objective: The goal is to develop a prototype of a smart external ventricular drainage system.

Material and methods: This study entailed the creation of a prototype smart external ventricular drainage (Smart EVD) system to evaluate its viability for clinical implementation. The research instruments consisted of (1) materials and components used in the development of the Smart EVD and (2) a feasibility assessment form for evaluating its potential use. Data analysis included a descriptive presentation of the prototype development process and an analysis of the feasibility assessment results using descriptive statistics, namely the mean and standard deviation.

Result: The study successfully created a prototype smart external ventricular drainage system with four main parts: (1) measuring the angle of the head, (2) keeping track of the volume of cerebrospinal fluid, (3) setting a reference point, and (4) an alert system for abnormalities. Five experts evaluated the Smart EVD and found that it was very likely to work in real life (overall mean = 45.80, SD = 4.87).

Conclusion: The developed prototype smart cerebrospinal fluid drainage system demonstrates potential for assisting in the management of patients with hydrocephalus by reducing drainage errors and enhancing patient safety. However, further studies are required to evaluate the system’s accuracy and reliability in laboratory settings before proceeding to clinical testing in accordance with medical device evaluation standards.