Echogenic Medical Needle Ultrasonic Reflector Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Medical needles often have reduced visibility during ultrasound-guided procedures due to oblique angles of insertion, leading to decreased reflection of ultrasound waves and poor image clarity, especially at steep angles, which can result in misplacement and injury to nerves, veins, and other tissues.
Innovation Solution
A medical needle design featuring an ultrasonic reflector with specific angled surfaces, including a first reflector surface at no more than 35° to the longitudinal axis and additional surfaces forming angles between 75° to 105°, optimized to reflect ultrasound waves effectively even at acute angles, enhancing visibility during procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the needle is inserted at an oblique angle to the transducer, then the needle can reach the target location, but the ultrasound waves are reflected away from the transducer, decreasing needle visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The needle incorporates an ultrasonic reflector with specific local geometric features (first reflector surface at ≤35° to longitudinal axis, additional surfaces at 75°-105° angles) that create enhanced echogenicity at the needle tip and shaft, allowing visibility to be improved locally without changing the overall insertion angle
Solution Approach 2:
The reflector surfaces are designed with specific angle parameters (≤35° for first surface, 75°-105° for additional surfaces) that optimize ultrasound wave reflection back to the transducer across a range of insertion angles, transforming the needle's acoustic properties to maintain visibility regardless of insertion angle
2Length of stationary object
If the needle is inserted at a steep angle (parallel to ultrasound waves), then deep tissue access is achieved, but the needle becomes invisible in the ultrasound image
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic reflector creates localized echogenic features at the needle tip and shaft that generate strong ultrasound reflections even when the needle is inserted at steep angles, ensuring the needle remains visible in the ultrasound image during deep tissue access
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of relying on the needle shaft itself to reflect ultrasound waves (which fails at steep angles), the invention uses a dedicated reflector structure that inverts the reflection geometry to bounce waves back to the transducer even when the needle is parallel to the ultrasound beam direction
3Measurement precision
If a simple needle shaft is used, then the device is simple and inexpensive, but the needle visibility in ultrasound images is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector is positioned locally at the needle tip and shaft regions that are most critical for visibility, rather than complicating the entire needle structure, thus improving echogenicity with minimal added complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The reflector uses straightforward geometric parameters (surface angles of ≤35° and 75°-105°) that are easy to manufacture while providing significant improvement in ultrasound visibility, avoiding complex structures through optimized angular parameters
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The optimized reflector design improves needle visibility in ultrasound images, allowing for more precise positioning and reducing the risk of misplacement or injury by maintaining echogenicity across a range of rotational positions and insertion angles.
Implementation Method 1
The ultrasound waves are readily reflected by changes in material density. In this context, changes between layers of tissue, tissue and nerve fibres, and medical equipment (including needles) and tissue are all capable of reflecting ultrasound waves. An ultrasound wave is strongly reflected at the interface of the two materials, such as a needle/tissue interface.
Implementation Method 2
It is now relatively common to use ultrasound to confirm needle positioning during procedures. This involves the use of ultrasound waves to observe, in real time, the position of the needle tip. Ultrasound waves are introduced by a transducer.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is disclosed a medical needle comprising a needle shaft that defines a longitudinal axis, a tip formed at one end of the shaft, and an ultrasonic reflector formed in an outer surface of the needle shaft. The reflector comprises a first reflector surface that is at an angle of no more than 35° to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and that faces towards the tip, and at least one additional reflector surface that forms an angle to the first reflector surface within the range of 75° to 105°, and that is substantially concave in a direction towards the first reflector surface.