saving invention of a desperate father

John and Mary holter, a 1995 Christmas visited a hospital in Philadelphia with her infant son, where he received the terrible news that his son was a victim of the dreaded hydrocephalus, i.e., the presence of fluid in the brain. People hidrocefalas secretion of fluid by the tissues of the interior of the skull increases excessively, sometimes resulting in enlargement of the head and compression of the brain. Usually, part of the fluid passes from the brain to the spinal canal and it can be drained by inserting a tube between the medulla and the abdominal cavity.

Especially in this case, the son of the holter, possessed a blockage between the brain and the marrow that could not be removed and that prevented the exit of the liquid. Many of these cases were destined to an early death or severe brain injury. The son of the holter, carlitos has let down to death and her father is manufacturing a device for saving the lives of babies hydrocephalus. The history of the holter is one of medicine's great triumphs. Over time, Charlie was already a few weeks of age, the doctor of the holter indicates that an operation could obtain relief temporarily. Operation consisted of a tube that would introduce to the stomach, where discharged excess of liquid that small accumulated in the brain, but this process could be presented two disadvantages: as the child grew the tube would be very small or a blockage of the same could occur by the tissues. Later, as it was feared the had was obstructed by tissues and it was necessary to operate it, already the prospects were heartbreaking. And so Charlie came to his third operation, where it started to get worse, the tube is constantly obstructed and the pressure rose in the small brain. Holter, the child's father was technically a manufactures locks, and he had always liked the engineering and often faced problems of hydraulics, so questions leaves in search of the doctor and listening to it, saying: the ideal solution would be to place a tube from the skull up to the jugular vein in the neck, where the liquid could join the current blood, for which a tiny valve of sufficient sensitivity was necessary to open when the brain alcalce set point pressure and be completely airtight, so that prevents all current recoil from the jugular.

Holter decides to leave quickly to his home, where he began to work to put in practice their skills, then goes to the laboratory of the company where he worked, working 18 to 20 hours at a time and can manufacture its first valve in less than a week for the hydrocephalus, which consisted of a tube of 8 cm long and 5 mm in diameter in which I fit two conical valves arranged to open slightly. Holter, immediately goes to the hospital and introduces you to your testing valve and doctors say that the tiny valves had to be made of a plastic material that can withstand high temperatures, holter did not have enough money or time, thus giving in to a solitary pursuit.

Three-week holter remained in the search while his son was weakening. Five days later a laboratory worker suggested to try with silicone and that would order his staff to provide support, two days more then the company sends you to holter the first valves of silicone, which were taken to the hospital but due to the weak who was carlitos could not subjecting it to a new operation and decide to try with another child with hydrocephalus, operation which was a resounding success. Several weeks later the son of the holter acquires the strength to support the operation in which inserted you the invention of his father that saved you a life. It was then applied to 57 cases of Hydrocephalus with a resounding success.

Finally John approached his son and raise him in his arms and said: God has put us all in the world to make a contribution and already my son Carlitos has made his own.