| Abstract Scope |
Fetal lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO) and pleural effusion can disrupt fetal growth and lead to death, often managed by vesicoamniotic shunting. Current shunts, such as the Harrison and Vortex models, face limitations including dislodgement, pressure buildup, and development of fetal bladder musculature. To overcome these problems, several alternative geometries were designed using CAD software and assessed qualitatively for anticipated flow and anchoring stability. Through this design evaluation process, a novel “double mushroom” shunt was developed. The geometry features two parasol-like discs of different diameters to increase the anchoring area, reduce the risk of dislodgement, and support fluid drainage. A custom jig was also fabricated to enable the production of small-scale braided prototypes from Nitinol wire, demonstrating the feasibility of in-house shunt fabrication. Future work will focus on coating with sodium alginate/DSPE-PEG crosslinked with CaCl₂, with characterization via SEM, FTIR, and contact angle analysis, followed by in vitro release testing. |