Venipuncture
OwnerZiad A. Alsaifiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A venipuncture device may be used for assisting a healthcare provider identify and locate a blood vessel in a patient. According to embodiments, heat is applied to a selected venipuncture site on the patent's limb. A pressure cuff constricts the limb proximal to the venipuncture site, thereby partially occluding blood flow through the blood vessel and engorging the blood vessel and making it more visible to the healthcare provider. The healthcare provider may then carry out various operations on the patient, including but not limited to drawing blood and insertion of an intravenous line.
Claims20
A method of venipuncture at a blood vessel in a patient, comprising:
- positioning a heating element of a venipuncture device at a selected venipuncture site on a limb of the patient;
- applying heat to the venipuncture site;
- wrapping a cuff of the venipuncture device around the limb proximal to the venipuncture site, the cuff having an inflatable chamber, wherein:
- the cuff is adapted to form a loop around the limb of the patient and
- the heating element is adapted to apply heat to the venipuncture site on the limb distal to the cuff;
- inflating the chamber, thereby partially occluding the blood vessel;
- removing the heating element from the venipuncture site;
- and
- inserting an intravenous line into the blood vessel at the venipuncture site.
A method of venipuncture at a blood vessel in a patient, comprising:
- positioning a heating element of a venipuncture device at a selected venipuncture site on a limb of the patient;
- applying heat to the venipuncture site;
- wrapping a cuff of the venipuncture device around the limb proximal to the venipuncture site, the cuff having an inflatable chamber, wherein:
- the cuff is adapted to form a loop around the limb of the patient and
- the heating element is adapted to apply heat to the venipuncture site on the limb distal to the cuff;
- inflating the chamber, thereby partially occluding the blood vessel;
- removing the heating element from the venipuncture site;
- and
- drawing blood from the blood vessel at the venipuncture site.
A method of venipuncture at a blood vessel in a patient, comprising:
- positioning a heating element of a venipuncture device at a selected venipuncture site on a limb of the patient;
- applying heat to the venipuncture site;
- wrapping a cuff of the venipuncture device around the limb proximal to the venipuncture site, the cuff having an inflatable chamber, wherein:
- the cuff is adapted to form a loop around the limb of the patient and
- the heating element is adapted to apply heat to the venipuncture site on the limb distal to the cuff;
- selecting a pressure target by:
- measuring a diastolic blood pressure of the patient and
- setting the pressure target to be equal to or less than the measured diastolic blood pressure;
- inflating the chamber to the pressure target, thereby partially occluding the blood vessel;
- and
- removing the heating element from the venipuncture site.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.