Devices, systems, and methods for targeted cannulation

• US 10,238,367 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2013
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Volcano Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Stigall, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saboktakin, Marjan
• Application Number:
  US14/103,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20140171788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3413 guided by ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3784 both receiver and transmitter being in the instrument or receiver being also transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/085 for locating body or organic structures, e.g. tumours, calculi, blood vessels, nodules
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0891 for diagnosis of blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4444 related to the probe
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/488 involving Doppler signals

Abstract

Described herein is a sensing wire for locating a blood vessel in a patient. The sensing wire comprises a hollow, rigid tube including a lumen extending from a proximal portion to a distal portion, an ultrasonic sensor coupled to the distal portion of the tube, and a communication assembly positioned at the distal portion and coupled to the ultrasound sensor. Also described is a system for accessing and evaluating a blood vessel in a patient. The system comprises an access sensor wire, an access needle sized to receive the access sensor wire, and a second sensing wire configured to be positioned within the access needle. A method is also disclosed for accessing a blood vessel with an introduction needle, where a short access sensing wire is replaced by a much longer second sensing wire after the needle is positioned in the vessel.

Claims

1. A device for locating a blood vessel in a patient, comprising:

a hollow, elongate rigid tube including a lumen extending from a proximal portion to a distal portion, the tube having a longitudinal axis, the tube positionable at a plurality of angles with respect to the vessel;

an ultrasonic sensor disposed within the tube, and slidably coupled to the tube, wherein the ultrasonic sensor transmits ultrasound waves coaxially with the longitudinal axis and receives ultrasound waves distally along the longitudinal axis to detect Doppler shift, and wherein the ultrasonic sensor is configured to determine, from a position outside the patient'"'"'s body, whether the tube is positioned at a desired angle of the plurality of angles for entry into the vessel;

at least one communication line extending from the ultrasonic sensor to a communication connection assembly positioned adjacent to the proximal portion; and

electrical conductors in communication with the ultrasonic sensor extending through the lumen of the elongate tube.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the tube is a rigid cylinder with a circular cross-sectional shape.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the communication connection assembly includes a plurality of conductive bands on the proximal portion of the tube.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the tube has a substantially constant degree of stiffness from the proximal portion to the distal portion.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the tube and communication connection assembly have a substantially uniform diameter.

6. The device of claim 1, further including a sensor housing shaped and configured to enclose the ultrosonic sensor, wherein the sensor housing is coupled to the distal portion of the tube.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the sensor housing includes a blunt, rounded distal tip.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the sensor housing includes an ultrasonically- transparent aperture through which the ultrasonic sensor can transmit and receive ultrasound waves.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the sensor housing comprises a steerable tip.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the sensor housing includes a sharp distal tip.

11. The device of claim 1 further comprising at least one pressure sensor.

12. The device of claim 6, further including a flexible sheath shaped and configured to surround the sensor housing and at least the distal portion of the tube, the sheath having a closed distal end and an open proximal end.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the flexible sheath tapers from the proximal end to the distal end.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the flexible sheath is transparent to ultrasound energy.