Sudiharto Invented Low Cost Hydrocephalus Therapy

Lecturer of Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Dr. dr. P. Sudiharto Sp.BA, one of the two recipients of the Hamengku Buwono IX Award 2009, is the inventor of therapy device for patients of hydrocephalus. This was named semilunar valve bypass system.

The device that was just patented in September 2009 has been developed since 1978 and it has now been installed for 7000 patients who have got hydrocephalus due to various reasons. They are also diverse in age, from 11 day infants to adult aged 65 years old.

“One of the patients was 3 years old when I put this device on him. Now he is 15 and is studying at a Junior High School here in Yogyakarta and has good achievement in class,” Sudiharto told the press, Monday (21/12) athe Executive Room, KPTU of Faculty of Medicine second floor. Also attending in tha occasion were Dean Prof. dr. Ali Ghufron Mukti, M.Sc., Ph.D., and Deputy Dean for Students, Alumni and Business Development, Prof. dr. Suhardjo, S.U., Sp.M(K).

The man born in Bandung, 14 October 1941, said that the semilunar valve system is useful and very helpful for middle to low level people. “The cost, which is around 1.5-1.7 million rupiah, is surely more affordable than the imported device that amounts to 40 million,” he added.

The device can be adjusted depending on the age and type of disease. The durability of this sytem can last over 25 years. Most of the patients that have used this device were from Yogyakarta, Purwokerto, Tangerang, Semarang, Bogor and Medan.

Apart for hydrocephalus, the device can also be utilised for patients of stroke, head trauma due to accident, brain tumour, and brain inflammation or meningitis that have the same symptoms. The pump installed in the brain can reduce brain fluids up to the half volume. “The semilunar valve has been installed for adults, I've even installed it for a professor,” said Sudiharto, mentioning that hydrocephalus can indeed attack adults.

Dean Prof. dr. Ali Ghufron Mukti, M.Sc., Ph.D., said that the work is very helpful in improving people's health. “It's very helpful. Indonesia still depends on foreign technology. If Indonesians are given bigger opportunities, I believe they are capable,” he said.

Ghufron also eexpressed his pride for Sudiharto's achievement in the HB IX  Award. That is expected to inspire other staff to follow suit.