Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-20
2001-05-08
Casler, Brian L. (Department: 3737)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
C250S330000, C250S372000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06230046
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention described herein relates generally to medical devices and procedures, and more particularly to a system and method for enhancing visualization of veins, arteries and other subcutaneous structures of the body for facilitating fluid insertion into or extraction from the body or otherwise visualizing subcutaneous structures for diagnosis of the medical condition of a patient or administration of medical treatment to a patient.
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for all governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty.
BACKGROUND ART
Prior art devices and procedures for enhancing visualization of veins, arteries and other subcutaneous structures of the body have included the following techniques: applying tourniquets, flashlights, direct application of liquid crystalline materials, dual fiber optic sources, and ultrasonic imaging. The tourniquet technique is the traditional approach in which the venous return is restricted to cause the major superficial venous vessels to engorge with blood for enhancing their visibility. This is the standard approach used in all medical facilities. However, this technique is compromised in conditions of poor ambient illumination, and in patients with low blood pressure, skin burns, etc. Flashlights are limited to transilluminating very thin sections of tissue. The liquid crystal technique is based on the thermal sensitivity of liquid crystal materials. By applying a thin liquid crystal film over the vein, it is possible to map out the venous structure from the surrounding tissue based on relative temperature differences. The dual fiber-optic source is a method by which both sides of the venous structure are simultaneously illuminated with visible light to eliminate shadows and to provide enhanced visualization. Lastly, ultrasonic images can be taken of vascular and surrounding tissue. This technique is based on the reflection of ultrasonic waves due to the impedance mismatch at the various tissue interfaces found within the body.
In the administration of medical care in an emergency situation, such as that encountered by a physician or emergency medical technician (EMT) in the treatment of an accident victim at the scene of the accident, or by a medic in the treatment of the wounded on a battlefield, the conditions under which the care is administered may be adverse, such as nighttime lighting conditions. It is obvious and well settled that expeditious administration of medical care to the victim improves the prospects of recovery of the victim. For example, the life of a wounded soldier on the battlefield may depend on the immediate intravenous administration of blood plasma or other lost body fluids or of medications. Similar immediate procedures by a physician or EMT may be required in order to treat a victim at the scene of an accident. Further, during transport of the victim to a hospital or similar medical care facility, administration of medical procedures may be necessary under poor lighting conditions or under other adverse conditions (e.g., torn clothing, bleeding, etc) consequent of the accident. Additionally, shock may have caused the veins of the victim to partially collapse, or the patient may have veins which are difficult to find which further complicates procedures for gaining access to the veins or arteries of the victim.
Numerous background art references are cited throughout the Description of the Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention presented hereinbelow, which references have been incorporated herein by reference.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The invention solves or substantially reduces in critical importance problems with conventional systems and methods for visualizing subcutaneous structures of the body under poor lighting or other adverse conditions by providing system and method for illuminating or transilluminating a portion of the body with light of selected wavelength(s), in the ultraviolet (UV), visible or near infrared (NIR) (about 0.3 to 1.0 micron (&mgr;m)), and viewing the illuminated portion of the body with an image intensifier or other low-level light detection means, such as that included with conventional night vision goggles (NVG), whereby the vascular system (veins, arteries) of the body or other subcutaneous structure is visualized by reason of the difference in spectral absorption of the blood (or other subcutaneous structures) as compared to surrounding tissue. Intravenous insertion or extraction of body fluids or medication under nighttime or other darkened conditions is therefore facilitated, differentiation between arterial and venous blood may be made, treatment of patients in shock or surgical procedures on patients who have suffered blood loss or are without adequate venous structure may be facilitated, fibrous or cancerous tissues may be identifiable by reason of their structural/absorptive character, treatment of pediatric patients may be facilitated, and the enhanced collateral circulation associated with damaged tissues and the healing process and the formation of scar tissue may be detectable.
In accordance with the foregoing principles and objects of the invention, system and method for enhancing visualization of veins, arteries or other subcutaneous structures of the body and for facilitating intravenous insertion or extraction of fluids, medication or the like are described which comprise illuminating or transilluminating the corresponding portion of the body with light of selected wavelength and viewing the illuminated portion through a sensitive imaging sensor such as an imaging intensifier tube, intensified charge coupled display (CCD), a scanning photo multiplier tube (PMT), or photodiode, and optical filters of selected spectral transmittance which can be located between the various light sources and the sensor.
It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide system and method for the non-invasive visualization or identification of subcutaneous structures of the body.
It is another object of the invention to provide system and method for detecting and mapping the veins and arteries in human subjects.
It is another object of the invention to provide system and method for visualization and identification of veins, arteries and other subcutaneous structures under adverse lighting conditions.
It is another object of the invention to provide a non-invasive means to visualize human body internal tissue for purposes of diagnosis, administration of medical treatment, or surgery.
It is a further object of the invention to provide system and method for intravenous insertion or extraction of fluids under adverse lighting conditions or in lighting conditions normally found in hospital environments (such as wards, emergency, operating, and recovery rooms) for magnified or non-magnified visualization.
It is a further object of the invention to provide system and method for insertion or extraction of fluids in an emergency situation or to patients/victims who are difficult to catheterize or phlebotomize.
It is a further object of the invention to provide system and method for insertion or extraction of fluids in a hospital environment (such as removal of lymphatic fluid/blood from internal injury).
It is another object of the invention to provide system and method for visualization and identification of foreign bodies and medical appliances in the body.
It is another object of the invention to provide system and method for visualization and identification of veins, arteries and other subcutaneous structures in classes of patients in which the vascular system is difficult to visualize (such as pediatric, geriatric, obese, burn, etc).
It is yet another object of the invention to provide system and method for visualization and identification of veins, arteries and other subcutaneous structures in animal subjects.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide system and method for visualization of underlying tissue exposed during surgical procedure and imagin
Crane Robert L.
Edmonds Byron P.
Johnson Walter E.
Lovett Charles C.
Casler Brian L.
Kundert Thomas L.
Scearce Bobby D.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
LandOfFree
System and method for enhanced visualization of subcutaneous... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System and method for enhanced visualization of subcutaneous..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System and method for enhanced visualization of subcutaneous... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2494808