Central venous cannulation device and method
AssigneeBoard of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College
InventorsJacob Bursavich, Benjamin Seago, Logan Daigle
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Abstract
A device and method are disclosed for intravenous cannulation. The device employs a spring to precisely and accurately control the force and velocity imparted to a piercing needle, with mechanical constraints built into the device to precisely and accurately control the distance through which the piercing needle travels. A sheathed-needle configuration is used with an outer, echogenic needle that can be seen via ultrasound; and an inner needle used to pierce the vein. The operator releases the piercing needle with a controlled velocity, controlled force, and controlled travel distance. The device reduces the human error and complications that have previously been associated with manually piercing a vein for cannulation.
Claims8
A device for controllably inserting a piercing needle into the lumen of a vein of a living mammalian patient;
- wherein said device comprises a casing, a piercing needle, an echogenic needle, a spring, and a release;
- wherein:
- (a) said piercing needle is adapted to penetrate the wall of a vein, into the lumen of the vein;
- wherein said piercing needle has a hollow interior through which a guidewire or other flexible line may pass after said piercing needle has penetrated into the lumen of the vein;
- (b) said echogenic needle is reflective to ultrasound, so that the position of said echogenic needle is adapted to be monitored ultrasonically;
- and said echogenic needle has a hollow interior adapted to be traversed by said piercing needle;
- (c) said spring can assume a compressed state or a relaxed state;
- wherein said spring is mechanically connected to said piercing needle;
- and wherein a sudden release of said spring from the compressed state to the relaxed state causes the spring to impart to said piercing needle a force and a velocity sufficient for said piercing needle to penetrate the wall of the vein;
- (d) said release is adapted to release said spring from the compressed state to the relaxed state when said release is engaged by a user;
- (e) said casing holds said piercing needle, said echogenic needle, said spring, and said release;
- and said casing comprises one or more mechanical restraints that control a distance said piercing needle can traverse in response to force imparted by said spring;
- wherein said device is adapted to be used as follows:
- the user inserts said echogenic needle in the vicinity of a vein of a mammalian patient;
- guided by ultrasound imaging, the user directs said echogenic needle to the surface of the vein;
- when said echogenic needle is on or near the surface of the vein, the user activates said release;
- once said release is activated, said spring is released from the compressed state to the relaxed state, imparting a force and a velocity to said piercing needle sufficient for said piercing needle to penetrate the wall of the vein;
- said piercing needle exits the interior of said echogenic needle and penetrates into the vein, stopping at a distance determined by said restraints on said casing, and coming to rest within the lumen of the vein, without piercing a wall of the vein a second time;
- a guidewire or other flexible line is then introduced into the lumen of the vein through the hollow interior of said piercing needle;
- the piercing needle is then withdrawn from the vein, leaving the guidewire or other flexible line in place in the lumen of the vein;
- a catheter is then introduced into the lumen of the vein over the flexible line;
- and the flexible line is then withdrawn from the vein, leaving the catheter in place in the lumen of the vein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.