Ultrasound assisted catheter placement system

An apparatus for placing an IV catheter into a vein of a patient, the apparatus comprising:

• a needle assembly having a needle with an IV catheter that extends over the needle;
• and
• a wire introducer device attached to the needle assembly, wherein the wire introducer device comprises:
• a housing having a front opening and a rear opening;
• a coupling at the front opening of the housing shaped for attaching the needle assembly;
• an elongated sheath at the rear opening of the housing;
• a guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the guide wire extends through the front opening and the rear opening of the housing and the proximal distal end of the guide wire is located in the elongated sheath while the distal proximal end of the guide wire is located inside the coupling, and wherein the proximal distal end of the guide wire comprises a visual guide that allows visualization of position of the proximal distal end of the guide wire within the elongated sheath;
• and
• a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing and positioned partially inside the housing and partially outside of the housing such that any portion of the wheel that is positioned inside the housing cannot be contacted by a user of the wire introducer device while that portion of the wheel is positioned inside the housing, wherein the wheel does not contact the guide wire, and wherein rotation of the wheel towards the front opening of the housing by the user contacting an outer circumferential surface of a portion of the wheel outside the housing advances the guide wire into the patient,
• wherein a drum is attached to the wheel and has an outer surface configured to contact a side of the guide wire, and
• wherein the housing includes a fixed surface configured to contact an opposite side of the guide wire to thereby press the guide wire against the drum, whereby the outer surface of the drum and the fixed surface of the housing cooperate to advance the guide wire by friction with respect to the housing through the front opening and the needle assembly upon rotation of the wheel.

An IV catheter insertion kit comprising:

• a needle assembly having a needle with an IV catheter that extends over the needle;
• a wire introducer device comprising:
• a housing having a front opening and a rear opening;
• a coupling at the front opening of the housing configured for attaching the needle assembly;
• an elongated sheath at the rear opening of the housing;
• a guide wire having a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the guide wire extends through the front opening and the rear opening of the housing and the proximal distal end of the guide wire is located in the elongated sheath while the distal proximal end of the guide wire is located inside the coupling, and wherein the proximal distal end of the guide wire comprises a visual guide that allows visualization of position of the proximal distal end of the guide wire within the elongated sheath;
• and
• a wheel rotatably coupled to the housing and positioned partially inside the housing and partially outside of the housing such that any portion of the wheel that is positioned inside the housing cannot be contacted by a user of the wire introducer device while that portion of the wheel is positioned inside the housing, wherein the wheel does not contact the guide wire, and wherein rotation of the wheel towards the front opening of the housing by the user contacting an outer circumferential surface of a portion of the wheel outside the housing advances the guide wire into the patient;
• a lidocaine solution;
• a sterilizing solution;
• an applicator for the sterilizing solution;
• and
• a tourniquet,
• wherein a drum is attached to the wheel and has an outer surface configured to contact a side of the guide wire, and
• wherein the housing includes a fixed surface configured to contact an opposite side of the guide wire to thereby press the guide wire against the drum, whereby the outer surface of the drum and the fixed surface of the housing cooperate to advance the guide wire by friction with respect to the housing through the front opening and the needle assembly upon rotation of the wheel.