Hybrid Guide Positioning Fixture for Ultrasound Vascular Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ultrasound-guided vascular cannulation techniques face challenges in maintaining the needle shaft within the ultrasound beam during procedures, particularly in the long axis approach, leading to potential posterior wall penetration and difficulty in achieving consistent and safe vascular access.

Innovation Solution

A positioning fixture, known as the Hybrid Guide, is designed to stabilize the ultrasound transducer and needle, featuring a short axis notch for initial centering and a long axis guide that adjusts to maintain the needle within the beam, ensuring continuous visualization and stabilization of the needle shaft during cannulation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the long axis approach is used to visualize the entire needle shaft, then safety and confirmation of vessel entry are improved, but the difficulty of keeping the needle shaft within the thin ultrasound beam increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety and confirmation of vessel entryVSAvoiddifficulty of keeping needle shaft within ultrasound beam

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a needle guide device as an intermediary tool between the clinician and the needle. This guide device includes alignment features and positioning mechanisms that mediate the placement and movement of the needle, ensuring it stays within the ultrasound beam without requiring precise manual control by the clinician throughout the procedure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The needle guide device performs preliminary alignment and positioning actions before needle insertion. The device includes pre-configured alignment marks, angled guides, and positioning structures that establish the correct needle trajectory and maintain it within the ultrasound beam during the entire cannulation process, eliminating the need for continuous manual adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the short axis approach is used to distinguish structures and center the needle, then structural identification and initial positioning are improved, but the lack of visualization of the entire needle shaft increases the risk of posterior wall penetration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural identification and initial positioningVSAvoidrisk of posterior wall penetration

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the advantages of both short axis and long axis approaches into a single integrated needle guide device. The device incorporates features that enable initial structural identification and centering (short axis benefits) while simultaneously providing continuous needle shaft visualization and depth control (long axis benefits), thereby eliminating the harmful effects of using either approach alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The needle guide device is designed as a multi-functional tool that performs multiple functions: it aids in initial vessel identification, centers the needle over the vessel, maintains the needle within the ultrasound beam during insertion, and provides continuous visualization of the needle shaft to prevent posterior wall penetration. This universal device combines capabilities that were previously分散 in different approaches.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual needle manipulation is used during the hybrid procedure, then flexibility in positioning is maintained, but tactile difficulty in keeping the needle shaft within the beam increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility in positioningVSAvoidtactile difficulty in maintaining needle position

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The needle guide device is designed to be self-aligning and self-maintaining. Once positioned, the device's mechanical features (such as angled guides, friction-fit components, and geometric constraints) automatically maintain the needle within the ultrasound beam without requiring continuous tactile adjustment by the clinician. The device serves itself to keep the needle properly positioned throughout the procedure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11439428B2Hybrid guide

Publication Date: 2022.09.13 SHIELDS SAMUEL S

AI summary

A positioning fixture for use with an ultrasound transducer comprising a base having a planar bottom surface and top surface, each having two long edges and two short edges, the top surface facing away from the bottom surface; first and second echogenic targeting bands recessed below the bottom surface of the housing; a pair of long sidewalls provided on and extending orthogonally from the top surface, one long sidewall of the pair of long sidewalls attached to each of the two long edges; a guide release on the top surface, attached to one of the two short edges on the top surface; a long axis needle guide on the top surface, attached to another of the two short edges; and a receptacle cooperatively defined by the pair of long sidewalls, the guide release and the long axis needle guide, the receptacle sized to accommodate the ultrasound transducer.