Universal needle guide for ultrasonic transducers

A device for guiding a needle for insertion into a patient during a surgical procedure comprising:

• a re-usable and heat-sterilizable main guide body;
• a mounting arrangement for attaching the main guide body onto an ultrasound probe, the mounting arrangement being adapted to engage the ultrasound probe and to maintain an angular arrangement between the ultrasound probe and the main guide body;
• a needle cap;
• a channel that is located between the main guide body and the needle cap when the needle cap is mounted on the main guide body, that is oriented at a predetermined angle relative to the ultrasound probe, and in which the needle is slidably positioned during the surgical procedure;
• and
• in which:
• the mounting arrangement has a first and a second arm;
• the second arm is pivotably secured to the main guide body;
• an adjustment arrangement is provided on the second arm, the angular position of the second arm relative to the main guide body, and the distance between the first and second arms, thereby being adjustable;
• and
• the first and second arms form a substantially U-shaped clamp that securely and removably engages but extends only partially around the ultrasound probe, the mounting arrangement thereby being adapted to securely engage ultrasound probes of different thicknesses.