Ultrasound Needle Guide Alignment for Precise Pre-Puncture Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing needle placement techniques, both real-time and pre-puncture ultrasound guidance, face challenges in achieving accurate and precise needle insertion, particularly in scenarios where real-time ultrasound guidance is not feasible or desirable, leading to increased procedural time and complications.
Innovation Solution
A needle guide system that can be accurately positioned post-US scan to guide a needle into a patient at a desired angle and length, incorporating features for alignment with surface marks and adjustable angles, allowing for multiple needle channels and gauge compatibility, and optionally including optical guidance for precise needle placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If freehand needle insertion is used, then the procedure is simpler and faster to perform, but the accuracy and precision of needle placement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a needle guide as an intermediary device between the ultrasound imaging system and the needle. The guide includes alignment features that interface with ultrasound markers and guide the needle along a predetermined path, thereby translating the simplicity of freehand insertion into the precision of image-guided procedures without requiring complex real-time control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The needle guide is positioned and aligned with ultrasound markers before needle insertion occurs. This preliminary positioning establishes the correct trajectory and depth markings in advance, allowing the operator to simply follow the pre-established path rather than continuously adjusting during insertion, thus maintaining operational simplicity while ensuring accuracy
2Measurement precision
If real-time ultrasound guidance is used, then the accuracy of needle placement is improved, but the procedural time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary ultrasound imaging and marker placement to establish the target location and trajectory before needle insertion. The needle guide is pre-positioned with depth markings corresponding to the target depth, allowing for rapid needle insertion without continuous real-time ultrasound monitoring during the actual insertion process
Solution Approach 2:
The procedure is segmented into distinct phases: preliminary ultrasound imaging and marker placement, followed by rapid needle insertion using the pre-positioned guide. This segmentation allows the time-consuming imaging and planning to be done once beforehand, while the actual needle insertion becomes a quick, simple action following pre-established parameters
3Device complexity
If a fixed needle guide is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different needle angles and depths deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The needle guide incorporates universal features including multiple depth markings, alignment features that work with various ultrasound probe orientations (longitudinal and transverse), and a structure that accommod Different needle types and angles. This multi-functionality allows a single guide design to serve multiple procedures and configurations without increasing fundamental structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The needle guide uses adjustable parameters such as variable depth markings, selectable alignment orientations, and configurable needle channel angles. These parameters can be changed to match different procedural requirements while maintaining the same basic guide structure, thereby achieving versatility without proportionally increasing device complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
A needle guide system for use with an ultrasound probe, the system comprising a surface marking guide and a needle guide. The surface marking guide includes an attachment portion for attaching the marking guide to an ultrasound probe, and a surface contact portion fixed to the attachment portion and including one or more features for identifying to a user where to mark a surface when the ultrasound probe is held against the surface. The needle guide includes a base to support the needle guide on the surface, one or more features on the base for alignment with marks made on the surface, and a needle support mounted on the base and having a needle channel through which a needle can extend, the needle channel having a known position and orientation relative to the base. We also describe a needle guide for use with an ultrasound probe to guide a needle along a predetermined path relative to the ultrasound probe.