Pressure-Activated Heat Patch for Intravenous Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for obtaining intravenous access, such as cannulation, are often difficult and time-consuming, especially in challenging patients like infants, overweight individuals, and those with constricted veins, leading to increased attempts, cost, and risk of complications.
Innovation Solution
A portable, 'one size fits all' heat patch device that, when activated by pressure, generates heat between 50 to 55 degrees Celsius and releases organic nitrate vasodilator and amino-based anesthetic agents to facilitate vein dilation and reduce the number of attempts required for successful cannulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If a tourniquet is applied to dilate veins for cannulation, then vein visibility and accessibility are improved, but the procedure time increases and multiple attempts are often required
Solution Approach 1:
The heat patch is applied to the skin over the vein before cannulation to pre-dilate the vein through thermal vasodilation. This preliminary action softens the skin and dilates the vein, making the vein more visible and accessible before the actual cannulation attempt, thereby reducing the number of attempts required and overall procedure time.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat patch changes the temperature parameter of the skin and underlying tissues from normal body temperature to elevated temperature (50-55°C). This temperature change induces thermal vasodilation, increasing blood flow and vein diameter, which improves vein visibility and accessibility for cannulation.
2Reliability
If multiple attempts at cannulation are made, then the chance of successful access increases, but the risk of infection, extravasation, and patient discomfort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat patch is applied before cannulation to pre-dilate the vein and soften the skin. This preliminary preparation ensures that the vein is more accessible and easier to penetrate on the first attempt, reducing the need for multiple attempts and thereby lowering the cumulative risk of infection and extravasation.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the temperature parameter of the tissue, the heat patch induces vasodilation that increases vein diameter and makes the vein more compliant. This parameter change facilitates easier and more reliable cannula insertion, improving success rate while reducing the number of attempts needed.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If electric heating pads are used to dilate veins, then vein accessibility is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The heat patch is designed as a disposable, single-use device that is applied to the skin and then discarded after use. This eliminates the need for complex reusable heating devices with power supplies and controls. The patch contains pre-packaged heat-generating materials that activate upon application, providing simple and cost-effective thermal vasodilation.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat patch is self-activating and self-regulating. Once applied to the skin, the heat-generating materials automatically activate and maintain the therapeutic temperature without requiring external power sources or user intervention. The patch self-regulates the temperature to prevent burns while maintaining effective vasodilation.
4Loss of time
If the heat patch temperature is increased to rapidly dilate veins, then the procedure time is reduced, but the risk of skin burns increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heat patch is designed to maintain a specific temperature range (50-55°C) that is high enough to induce rapid thermal vasodilation but low enough to prevent skin burns. This optimized temperature parameter achieves effective vein dilation within minutes while maintaining patient safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The heat patch contains self-regulating heat-generating materials that automatically maintain the temperature within the safe therapeutic range. The chemical or physical heat generation mechanism inherently limits the maximum temperature to prevent burns, eliminating the need for external temperature monitoring and control systems.
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
Significantly reduces the time and number of attempts needed for successful cannulation, improving efficiency and reducing the need for escalation to more senior medical practitioners, while being easy to apply and cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
the heat patch is activated by the application of pressure and in this regard can be flexed or pressed to initiate an exothermic chemical reaction to heat the patch to a temperature of from 50 to 55 degrees Celsius
Implementation Method 2
an organic nitrate vasodilator agent... which facilitates vein dilation
Implementation Method 3
an amino based anaesthetic agent which is an amino ester or amino amide... that has been shown to be effective in numbing the skin at the site of application
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention provides a device for application to the skin of a patient to facilitate intravenous access, e.g. via needles, syringes, cannulas or catheters, the device having an upper surface and a lower surface, wherein the lower surface is suitable for contacting the skin of the patient at the location of a vein to be accessed. The device comprises a heat patch, an organic nitrate vasodilator agent and an amino based anaesthetic agent which is an amino ester or amino amide. The device is configured and arranged such that in use the device can be activated by the application of pressure to the patch so as to initiate an exothermic chemical reaction in the heat patch which heats the patch to a temperature of from 50 to 55 degrees Celsius for a period of time of one minute or more. Further, the device is configured and arranged such that when the device is applied to the skin of the patient, with the lower surface contacting the skin of the patient, the vasodilator agent and the anaesthetic agent are released from the lower side of the device onto the patient's skin at the location of a vein to be accessed.