Neonatal Lumbar Puncture Needle Guide for Consistent Angle and Depth
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current neonatal lumbar punctures are often performed blindly, leading to unsuccessful attempts by first-line medical providers, necessitating referral to pediatric interventional radiology for ultrasound-guided procedures, which increases costs and delays testing results.
Innovation Solution
A medical device with an alignment portion and insertion portion that guides the needle into the CSF space using a consistent insertion angle and depth, minimizing the need for adjustments and improving success rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If neonatal lumbar puncture is performed blindly using landmarks, then the procedure can be performed by first-line medical providers without specialized equipment, but the success rate is low and referrals to pediatric interventional radiology are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a needle guide device as an intermediary tool between the medical provider and the neonate's spine. This device includes alignment portions that interface with anatomical landmarks and insertion portions that guide the needle at the correct angle and depth, mediating the blind procedure to achieve reliability comparable to ultrasound-guided procedures without requiring ultrasound equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The needle guide device is positioned and aligned on the patient's back before needle insertion. The alignment portions are placed on anatomical landmarks (spinous processes) to pre-establish the correct insertion angle and depth, preparing the pathway for accurate needle placement before the actual puncture occurs
2Reliability
If pediatric interventional radiology is consulted for ultrasound-guided lumbar puncture, then the success rate increases, but costs increase and testing results are delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guide device enables first-line medical providers to perform accurate lumbar punctures independently without requiring referral to pediatric interventional radiology. The device provides self-aligning features through its alignment portions that interface with anatomical landmarks, allowing the provider to self-correct and achieve proper needle placement without specialized guidance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the essential guidance function from the complex ultrasound-guided procedure and encapsulates it in a simple mechanical needle guide device. This device takes out only the necessary alignment and angle-control functions, eliminating the need for expensive ultrasound equipment and specialized radiology personnel while maintaining procedural success
3Ease of operation
If the needle insertion angle and depth are not controlled, then the procedure is simpler to perform, but the success rate decreases and patient safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guide device employs asymmetric geometry in its insertion portion, with a specific angled surface designed to match the required needle insertion angle. This asymmetric design naturally guides the needle at the correct angle without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms, maintaining simplicity while ensuring precision
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates localized geometric features at the insertion portion that provide precise angle and depth control exactly where needed. The alignment portions have specific shapes that interface with local anatomical landmarks, concentrating the precision-control function at the critical insertion point without complicating the overall device
Data Source
AI summary
One medical device may include an alignment portion configured to align the medical device with a spine of a patient. the alignment portion including a first end and a second end. The medical device may also include an insertion portion extending outward from the alignment portion and coupled to the alignment portion at the first end of the alignment portion. where the alignment portion and the insertion portion form an insertion angle. and where the insertion portion includes a set of needle insertion tubes, wherein each needle insertion tube is configured to receive a needle and guide the needle into the patient based on the insertion angle.