Hand-held ultrasound system having sterile enclosure
A sterile enclosure is provided for enclosing a hand-held ultrasound device to prevent any material on the ultrasound device from contaminating a sterile environment in which the ultrasound device is used. The enclosure has an opening for insertion of the ultrasound device into the enclosure, a closure for closing the opening, an acoustically-transparent transducer portion for covering an active face of a transducer of the ultrasound device, and a transparent display portion overlaying a display of the ultrasound device. In some embodiments a detachable or integrally formed needle guide is provided with the enclosure, for holding and guiding a needle so that the needle is projected into a field of view of the transducer of the ultrasound device.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a cordless, hand-held ultrasound device comprising a display to display ultrasound images, touch sensitive controls configured to adjust settings of the hand-held ultrasound device, and a transducer comprising a transducer array, the transducer configured to transmit ultrasonic pulses into a subject and to receive reflected ultrasonic pulses which have been reflected at locations within the subject; and
a sterile enclosure completely enclosing the hand-held ultrasound device such that any material on the hand-held ultrasound apparatus is prevented by the sterile enclosure from contaminating a sterile environment in which the hand-held ultrasound device is used while in the sterile enclosure, the enclosure comprising:
an opening for insertion of the hand-held ultrasound device into the enclosure and removal of the hand-held ultrasound device from the enclosure;
a closure for closing the opening;
an acoustically-transparent transducer portion covering an active face of the transducer; and
a transparent display portion overlaying the display of the hand-held ultrasound device to permit viewing of the display through the transparent display portion, the display portion sealed to the transducer portion to maintain sterility;
wherein:
the transducer portion of the enclosure comprises a semi-rigid gel pad shaped to conform to the active face of the transducer;
the gel pad comprises a material that holds its shape and is formed with projections and/or recesses configured for engagement with corresponding recesses and/or projections on the ultrasound device;
the enclosure comprises flexible portions overlaying the touch-sensitive controls; and
the enclosure has a shape that conforms to features of configuration of the hand-held ultrasound device.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a needle guide attachable to the enclosure, the needle guide having a bore for receiving a needle, the bore aligned relative to a position of the transducer in the enclosure so that the needle is projectable into a field of view of the transducer.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises an integrally formed needle guide, the needle guide having a bore for receiving a needle, the bore aligned relative to a position of the transducer in the enclosure so that the needle is projectable into a field of view of the transducer.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the hand-held ultrasound device comprises a microphone and voice-recognition apparatus and is configured to be controlled in response to voice or other sound commands received through the sterile enclosure.
5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sterile enclosure comprises elastic material stretched over the display of the hand-held ultrasound device.