John Holter 399596 225550879 2008-07-14T07:31:52Z Biomed1 7472554 {{Infobox Person |name = John Holter, DSc, CBE |image = Replace_this_image_male.svg |image_size = 150px |caption = John Holter |birth_name = |birth_date = [[April 1]], [[1916]] |birth_place = |death_date = [[December 22]], [[2003]] |death_place = |death_cause = |resting_place = |resting_place_coordinates = |residence = |nationality = |other_names = |known_for = [[silicone]] [[one-way valve]] |education = |employer = |occupation = |home_town = |title = |salary = |networth = |height = |weight = |term = |predecessor = |successor = |party = |boards = |religion = |spouse = |partner = |children = [[Charles Case "Casey" Holter]] |parents = |relatives = |signature = |website = |footnotes = }} '''John Holter''' ([[April 1]], [[1916]] - [[December 22]], [[2003]]) was a toolmaker working for the Yale and Town Lock Company [[Stamford, Connecticut|Stamford]] [[Connecticut]]. His son [[Charles Holter|Charles Case "Casey" Holter]] was born on [[November 7]], [[1955]] with a severe form of [[spina bifida]]. Shortly after birth he contracted [[meningitis]], which caused his head to expand rapidly. His parents were told that he had developed "water on the brain" or [[hydrocephalus]]. As luck would have it Holter's son was being looked after in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]], where the surgeons Nulsen and Spitz had already demonstrated that a ventricle-to-atrium diversion system could work. What they needed was an inexpensive and practical valve that could control the direction of the flow and maintain normal cranial pressure. A chance discovery showed Holter, after a failed attempt in which a young boy died, that he could use a [[silicone]] [[one-way valve]] (pressure sealing). After refinement of the [[silicone]] and rubber to a medically suitable grade it was patented and manufactured as [[Silastic]]. John Holter set up a company to manufacture the [[shunt]]s. Although he was unable to save his son Casey, his design, the Holter valve/shunt has helped millions around the world since the late 1950s. ==References== *[http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2007/04/john_holter_brain_e.html Mind Hacks.com] {{med-bio-stub}} [[Category:Inventors|Holter, John]] [[fi:John Holter]]