Echogenic Sheath and Catheter for Nerve Block Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for administering percutaneous nerve blocks, such as TAP, paravertebral, and adductor canal blocks, face challenges in precision and efficiency due to the need for skilled operators and the complexity of procedures like pneumothorax risks in paravertebral blocks, and the difficulty in placing catheters accurately without causing motor nerve blockages.
Innovation Solution
A method and kit that include a sheath with an open distal end, a catheter, and an introducer/dilator assembly, allowing for ultrasound-guided placement of needles and catheters in specific muscle planes, facilitating the administration of local anesthetics and reducing the need for extensive operator skill through echogenic materials and infusion pumps for continuous anesthesia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional percutaneous nerve block methods are used, then operator skill requirement increases, but procedure complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a nested structure where the needle is inserted through the sheath, and the catheter is subsequently advanced through the sheath. The sheath acts as a guiding tunnel that maintains the pathway, allowing sequential insertion of multiple components (needle → catheter) without losing positional accuracy. This nesting approach simplifies the overall procedure by providing a stable framework that reduces operator skill requirements while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath serves as an intermediary component between the needle and the catheter. It maintains the insertion pathway open and provides a stable guide for catheter advancement, eliminating the need for the operator to manually maintain the needle track. This intermediary structure reduces procedure complexity and time consumption by automating the pathway maintenance function.
2Measurement precision
If catheters are placed without sheath guidance, then placement accuracy decreases, but risk of motor nerve blockage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catheter is advanced through the sheath in a nested configuration, ensuring that the catheter follows the exact pathway established by the sheath. This nesting approach guarantees precise catheter placement at the target location while preventing deviation into motor nerve areas. The sheath acts as a protective conduit that constrains the catheter to the correct anatomical plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The sheath functions as an intermediary guide that physically directs the catheter to the precise target location. By maintaining a stable, pre-formed pathway, the sheath ensures accurate catheter placement while preventing inadvertent contact with motor nerves. This intermediary structure eliminates the need for complex manual positioning techniques.
3Reliability
If continuous anesthesia delivery is implemented, then pain management effectiveness improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sheath is designed with multi-functionality: it serves as both the insertion guide for the needle and the delivery conduit for the catheter and subsequent anesthetic infusion. This universal structure eliminates the need for separate components for guidance and delivery, reducing overall device complexity while enabling continuous anesthesia administration through the same pathway.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables continuous anesthesia delivery by maintaining the catheter in place through the sheath pathway, allowing uninterrupted infusion of local anesthetic. The sheath-catheter configuration provides a stable, continuous conduit that ensures reliable drug delivery over extended periods, improving pain management effectiveness without requiring complex pump or control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for administering certain nerve blocks includes a sheath constructed from a flexible ultrasound echogenic material, a more rigid introducer/dilator for introducing the sheath into the patient, and an ultrasound echogenic catheter for inserting through the sheath once the distal end of the sheath is in place adjacent the nerve(s) to be blocked and the introducer/dilator has been withdrawn. The catheter has provisions at its proximal end for connecting to a source of local anesthetic. Methods for use of this apparatus are also described.