Catheter placement device and related methods
An intravenous (IV) therapy system to facilitate the insertion of a catheter or another suitable IV device into a patient may include a band made of flexible material to be secured around a limb of a patient. The IV therapy system may include a window formed through the band to provide access to the patient's body. The IV therapy system may include a tourniquet formed within the band to selectively apply a pressure against the patient's body. The IV therapy system may include a blood vessel indicator to indicate where the catheter or other suitable IV device is to be inserted.
1 . A band to facilitate the insertion of a catheter into a patient, comprising:
a sleeve made of flexible material, wherein the sleeve has a cylindrical shape and is configured to be secured around a limb of a patient;
wherein an elongated window is formed in and through the flexible material of the sleeve to provide access to the limb of the patient through the sleeve, wherein the elongated window comprises a distal end and a proximal end, wherein a length of the elongated window between the distal end and the proximal end is greater than a width of the elongated window to follow a path of a blood vessel in the limb of the patient, wherein the flexible material in and through which the elongated window is formed is configured to apply pressure around the path of the blood vessel to cause the blood vessel to be more pronounced within the elongated window;
a tourniquet formed within a portion of the flexible material of the sleeve to selectively apply a pressure against the limb of the patient, wherein the tourniquet comprises a bladder, wherein the bladder comprises an elongated strip having a width and a length longer than the width, wherein the portion of the flexible material of the sleeve in which the tourniquet is formed extends generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve and generally parallel to the elongated window, wherein the bladder is configured to be sequentially inflated and deflated along the length of the bladder to thereby correspondingly and sequentially increase and decrease a pressure applied by the portion of the flexible material of the sleeve to the limb of the patient; and
a blood vessel indicator to indicate where the catheter is to be inserted, wherein the blood vessel indicator comprises a near-infrared (near-IR) camera disposed within the elongated window to detect the blood vessel within the elongated window, wherein the near-infrared camera is disposed closer to a distal end of the elongated window than a proximal end of the elongated window to facilitate placement of the catheter proximal to the near-infrared camera.
2 . The band of claim 1 , further comprising a processor that controls the tourniquet.
3 . The band of claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to cause the bladder to be inflated and deflated to create a pulsating pattern of pressure against a body of the patient.
4 . The band of claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic element integrated into the flexible material of the sleeve and extending along the length of the elongated window to selectively couple the catheter to the sleeve to stabilize the catheter.
5 . The band of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing lip integrated into the flexible material of the sleeve to interface with a protective medical dressing to prevent contamination at an injection site created upon insertion of the catheter into the patient's body.
6 . The band of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical channel formed in the blood vessel indicator to direct the catheter to a location of the blood vessel within the patient's body.
7 . The band of claim 1 , further comprising an IV device insertion indicator integrated into the flexible material of the sleeve to indicate the insertion of the catheter into the blood vessel.
8 . The band of claim 1 , further comprising an infusion status indicator integrated into the flexible material of the sleeve indicating the status of an infusion of fluid through the catheter and into the blood vessel.
9 . The band of claim 1 , further comprising a processor digitally coupled to the bladder, wherein the processor directs introduction of air or another fluid into the bladder to achieve a particular pattern of inflation or deflation of the bladder.
10 . A method of manufacturing a band for use in inserting a catheter into a patient, the method comprising:
forming a sleeve of flexible material, wherein the sleeve has a cylindrical shape and is configured to be secured around a limb of a patient;
forming an elongated window in and through the flexible material of the sleeve to provide access to the limb of the patient through the sleeve, wherein the elongated window comprises a distal end and a proximal end, wherein a length of the elongated window between the distal end and the proximal end is greater than a width of the elongated window to follow a path of a blood vessel in the limb of the patient, wherein the flexible material in and through which the elongated window is formed is configured to apply pressure around the path of the blood vessel to cause the blood vessel to be more pronounced within the elongated window;
forming a tourniquet within a portion of the flexible material of the sleeve to selectively apply a pressure against the limb of the patient, wherein the tourniquet comprises a bladder, wherein the bladder comprises an elongated strip having a width and a length longer than the width, wherein the portion of the flexible material of the sleeve in which the tourniquet is formed extends generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve and generally parallel to the elongated window, wherein the bladder is configured to be sequentially inflated and deflated along the length of the bladder to thereby correspondingly and sequentially increase and decrease a pressure applied by the portion of the flexible material of the sleeve to the limb of the patient; and
integrating a blood vessel indicator into the flexible material of the sleeve to indicate where the catheter is to be inserted; and
communicatively coupling the tourniquet to a processor to direct the application of pressure against the patient's body, wherein the bladder is configured to be sequentially inflated and deflated along the length of the bladder when the processor detects an activation signal generated in response to input from a clinician.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the bladder is inflated and deflated, via direction of the processor, to create a pulsating pattern of pressure against the patient's body.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising integrating a magnetic device into the flexible material and by the elongated window to couple the catheter to the sleeve to stabilize the catheter.
13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising integrating a sealing lip into the flexible material to interface with a protective dressing to prevent contamination at an injection site created upon insertion of the catheter into the patient's body.
14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming a mechanical channel in the indicator to direct the catheter to the location of the blood vessel within the patient's body.
15 . The method of claim 14 , forming a near-infrared (near-IR) camera within the indicator to detect the location of the blood vessel within the patient's body.
16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising integrating a light-emitting diode (LED) into the flexible material to provide a visual indication of the insertion of the catheter into the blood vessel.
17 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising integrating an LED into the flexible material to provide a visual indication as to a status of an infusion of fluid through the catheter and into the blood vessel.
18 . A band to facilitate the insertion of a catheter into a patient, comprising:
a sleeve made of flexible material, wherein the sleeve has a cylindrical shape and is configured to be secured around a limb of a patient;
wherein an elongated window is formed in and through the flexible material of the sleeve to provide access to the limb of the patient through the sleeve, wherein the elongated window comprises a distal end and a proximal end, wherein a length of the elongated window between the distal end and the proximal end is greater than a width of the elongated window to follow a path of a blood vessel in the limb of the patient, wherein the flexible material in and through which the elongated window is formed is configured to apply pressure around the path of the blood vessel to cause the blood vessel to be more pronounced within the elongated window;
a tourniquet formed within a portion of the flexible material of the sleeve to selectively apply a pressure against the limb of the patient, wherein the tourniquet comprises a bladder, wherein the bladder comprises an elongated strip having a width and a length longer than the width, wherein the portion of the flexible material of the sleeve in which the tourniquet is formed extends generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve and generally parallel to the elongated window, wherein the bladder is configured to be sequentially inflated and deflated along the length of the bladder to thereby correspondingly and sequentially increase and decrease a pressure applied by the portion of the flexible material of the sleeve to the limb of the patient;
a processor integrated into the flexible material of the sleeve, the processor being configured to control the tourniquet;
a blood vessel indicator to indicate where the catheter is to be inserted, wherein the blood vessel indicator comprises a near-infrared (near-IR) camera disposed within the elongated window to detect the blood vessel within the elongated window, wherein the near-infrared camera is disposed closer to a distal end of the elongated window than a proximal end of the elongated window to facilitate placement of the catheter proximal to the near-infrared camera; and
an IV device insertion indicator integrated into the flexible material of the sleeve to indicate the insertion of the catheter into the blood vessel.