Venous electrical stimulation apparatus and methods and uses thereof

A method of stimulating peripheral target veins in a subject without requiring the aid of compression to cause the veins to distend from under a surface of the subject's skin to facilitate venipuncture, the method comprising:

• generating an adjustable electrical output signal with an electrical venous stimulation apparatus, the signal including an adjustable output voltage, an adjustable current, and an adjustable output voltage waveform configured to elicit a physiological venous response in the subject that causes the target vein in the subject to distend from under the surface of the subject's skin without requiring the aid of compression, the electrical stimulation apparatus comprising:
• a powered signal generator configured to generate the adjustable electrical output signal, and
• at least two electrodes in electrical communication with the signal generator and configured to be placed in electrical communication with the subject;
• electrically connecting a first of the at least two electrodes to a hand of the subject and electrically connecting a second of the at least two electrodes to at least one selected from the group consisting of the other hand of the subject and a limb of the subject and
• transmitting the output signal to the subject via the at least two electrodes to elicit the physiological venous response in the subject that causes the target vein in the subject to distend from under the surface of the subject's skin without requiring the aid of compression.

A method of suppressing pain signals at a venous needle stick site of a subject, the method comprising:

• generating an adjustable electrical output signal with an electrical venous stimulation apparatus, the signal including an adjustable output voltage, an adjustable current, and an adjustable output voltage waveform configured to elicit a physiological venous response in the subject that causes a target vein in the subject to distend from under a surface of the subject's skin without requiring the aid of compression, the electrical stimulation apparatus comprising:
• a powered signal generator configured to generate the adjustable electrical output signal, and
• at least two electrodes in electrical communication with the signal generator and configured to be placed in electrical communication with the subject;
• electrically connecting a first of the at least two electrodes to a hand of the subject and electrically connecting a second of the at least two electrodes to at least one selected from the group consisting of the other hand of the subject and a limb of the subject:
• and
• transmitting the output signal to the subject via the at least two electrodes to stimulate peripheral nerves of the subject and activate a venous pump mechanism in at least one limb of the subject to thereby suppress pain signals at the venous needle stick site of the patient.

A method of accessing a vein of a person, the method comprising:

• receiving a portion of a first limb of the person into a first container that is physically connected to a first electrode;
• receiving a portion of a second limb of the person into a second container that is physically connected to a second electrode
• supplying a liquid electrolytic solution into the first and second containers, wherein (i) the liquid electrolytic solution of the first container is submerging the portion of the first limb and is electrically connected to the first electrode and (ii) the liquid electrolytic solution of the second container is submerging the portion of the second limb and is electrically connected to the second electrode;
• electrically stimulating the portions of the first and second limbs with at least one electrical signal generated by an electrical signal generator, the electrical signal provided to the liquid electrolytic solution of each of the first and second containers by the respective electrodes in contact with the liquid electrolytic solution;
• causing at least one vein in at least one limb of the person to distend in response to the electrical stimulation;
• and
• inserting a tip of a needle into the vein while the vein is distended to access the vein.