Development of the Spitz-Holter valve in Philadelphia

Abstract

The history of the treatment for hydrocephalus dates back to the Fertile Crescent thousands of years ago. Despite three millennia of management, significant advances in the surgical treatment of the disease have been infrequent. During the 1950s, a milestone occurred at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with the successful development of the first working shunt valve for the treatment of hydrocephalus. In this historical vignette, based on recent interviews with John Holter, D.Sc. (Hon) and Eugene Spitz. M.D., and on a review of the available literature, the authors narrate the exciting story of the development of the Spitz-Holter valve, which took place in Philadelphia during the early 1950s.