Shuntteja

Shuntteja (plural of shuntti) is a Finnish term for devices that create a low-resistance path to divert current or fluid, used in electrical engineering, medicine, and engineering.

In electronics, a shunt is a shunt resistor placed in series with a load to measure current. The voltage drop across the shunt is proportional to the current according to Ohm's law, and can be read by a voltmeter or an analog-to-digital converter to calculate I = V/R. Shunts are typically made of low-resistance metal such as manganin or copper with a known resistance and a low temperature coefficient. They must handle high currents with minimal self-heating and should be well thermally coupled to the measurement circuitry.

In medicine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunts divert CSF away from the brain to another body cavity to treat hydrocephalus. Common configurations include ventriculoperitoneal, ventriculoatrial, and ventriculopleural shunts. Modern devices may include programmable valves to regulate flow and pressure settings. Complications include infection, blockage, over- or underdrainage, and mechanical failure. Postoperative monitoring includes imaging and valve assessment.

In other contexts, a shunt can refer to a bypass channel in fluids, piping, or microfluidics, designed to relieve pressure or reroute flow around a restriction.

Shuntteja are sometimes simply referred to as shunts in English technical literature, and the term encompasses both electronic current shunts and medical CSF shunts.