Systems and methods for automatically inserting a needle into a living subject

• US 20100274202A1
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Stordal, Leif T., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Wood, Lowell L. JR., Hyde, Roderick A., Kare, Jordin T., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,308,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/272
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• 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 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00402 Piezo electric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00544 pneumatically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3409 including needle or instrument drives
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/376 using X-rays, e.g. fluoroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/378 using ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150022 for capillary blood or interstitial fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15003 for venous or arterial blood
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150106 Means for reducing pain or discomfort applied before puncturing; desensitising the skin at the location where body is to be pierced
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150167 Adjustable piercing speed of skin piercing element, e.g. blade, needle, lancet or canula, for example with varying spring force or pneumatic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150229 Pumps for assisting the blood sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/150748 Having means for aiding positioning of the piercing device at a location where the body is to be pierced means for aiding positioning of devices for bringing media into the body A61M5/427, locating blood vessels A61B5/489
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15087 short range, e.g. between console and disposable using implanted devices A61B5/150877
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15109 Fully automatically triggered, i.e. the triggering does not require a deliberate action by the user, e.g. by contact with the patient's skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15117 comprising biased elements, resilient elements or a spring, e.g. a helical spring, leaf spring, or elastic strap
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15121 : comprising piezos
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15123 : comprising magnets or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/15125 : comprising a vacuum or compressed fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/153 : Devices specially adapted for taking samples of venous or arterial blood, e.g. with syringes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/00 : Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis; Apparatus or devices for radiation diagnosis combined with radiation therapy equipment instruments measuring radiation intensity for application in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting, G01T1/161; apparatus for taking X-ray photographs G03B42/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/11 : with guides for needles or instruments, e.g. arcuate slides or ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/14252 : with needle insertion means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1585 : Needle inserters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/59 : Aesthetic features, e.g. distraction means to prevent fears of child patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3287 : Accessories for bringing the needle into the body; Automatic needle insertion A61M5/20, A61M5/31525 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/427 : Locating point where body is to be pierced, e.g. vein location means using ultrasonic waves, injection site templates

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems and methods for automatically inserting a needle into an insertion-target region of a living subject in response to a machine-vision system locating the insertion-target region. In an embodiment, a needle insertion system includes a moveable needle configured to be inserted into a living subject, a machine-vision system configured to locate an insertion-target region of the living subject, control electrical circuitry, and an actuator coupled to the control electrical circuitry. The control electrical circuitry may be coupled to the machine-vision system to receive location information therefrom about the insertion-target region, and configured to output needle targeting instructions. The actuator may be coupled to the control electrical circuitry to receive the needle targeting instructions therefrom and coupled to the moveable needle. The actuator may be configured to move the moveable needle to the insertion-target region automatically in response to receiving the needle targeting instructions from the control electrical circuitry.

Claims

1. A needle insertion system, comprising:

a moveable needle configured to be inserted into a living subject;

a machine-vision system configured to locate an insertion-target region of the living subject;

control electrical circuitry coupled to the machine-vision system to receive location information therefrom about the insertion-target region, the control electrical circuitry configured to output moveable needle targeting instructions; and

an actuator coupled to the control electrical circuitry to receive the needle targeting instructions therefrom and coupled to the moveable needle, the actuator configured to move the moveable needle to the insertion-target region automatically in response to receiving the needle targeting instructions.

2. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to, without human intervention after the moveable needle is positioned within operational range relative to the living subject, move the moveable needle to the insertion-target region located by the machine-vision system automatically in response to instructions from the control electrical circuitry.

3. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the moveable needle includes a passageway configured to allow fluid to flow therethrough.

4. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one container holding fluid therein, the at least one container in fluid communication with the moveable needle; and

a pump configured to pump the fluid from the at least one container, and through and out of a passageway formed in the moveable needle.

5. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one container configured to hold fluid therein, the at least one container in fluid communication with the moveable needle; and

a pump configured to draw blood from the insertion-target region, through a passageway formed in the moveable needle, and into the at least one container.

6. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one container configured to hold fluid therein, the at least one container in fluid communication with the moveable needle; and

a suction device configured to draw blood from the insertion-target region, through a passageway formed in the moveable needle, and into the at least one container.

7. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein:

the machine-vision system is configured to identify one or more external locations on the living subject that have been previously punctured by the moveable needle or another needle; and

the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the actuator to move the moveable needle to penetrate at least another location on the living subject that has not been previously penetrated by the moveable needle or the another needle.

8. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the insertion-target region includes an internal insertion-target region disposed within the living subject, and wherein the machine-vision system is configured to locate the internal insertion-target region.

9. The needle insertion system of claim 8, wherein the internal insertion-target region includes at least one of an artery, a muscle, or a bone.

10. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the insertion-target region includes external tissue of the living subject.

11. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the machine-vision system includes an electronic camera.

12. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the machine-vision system includes an ultrasonic imaging device, a visual-imaging device, an infrared-imaging device, an x-ray-imaging device, or a thermal-imaging device.

13. The needle insertion system of claim 1 wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured with a plurality of different force settings, and wherein the actuator is configured to bias the moveable needle with a force corresponding to a selected one of the plurality of different force settings.

14. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes at least one of a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, a linear actuator, a shape memory actuator, or an electro-mechanical actuator.

15. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising a mounting structure configured to temporarily secure the moveable needle and the actuator to the living subject.

16. The needle insertion system of claim 15, wherein the mounting structure includes a moveable support structure configured to move the moveable needle into an operational position.

17. The needle insertion system of claim 15, wherein the mounting structure includes one or more straps configured to hold the moveable needle and the actuator on the living subject.

18. The needle insertion system of claim 15, wherein the mounting structure includes an adhesive.

19. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the moveable needle, the machine-vision system, the control electrical circuitry, and the actuator are integrated into a handheld unit.

20. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor coupled to the control electrical circuitry and configured to sense at least one of fluid flow drawn through the moveable needle, position of the moveable needle within the living subject, tissue resistance of the living subject to the moveable needle, or presence of blood.

21. The needle insertion system of claim 20, wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to control movement of the moveable needle in response to one or more sensing signals received from the at least one sensor.

22. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising a subject preparation device configured to prepare a selected region of the living subject for insertion of the moveable needle therethrough.

23. The needle insertion system of claim 22, wherein the subject preparation device configured to dispense at least one of a cleaning agent, a pain killer, an anesthesia, a nerve blocker, or an antiseptic onto the selected region of the living subject.

24. The needle insertion system of claim 22, wherein the subject preparation device is configured to stretch or compress skin of the living subject in or near the insertion-target region.

25. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising a robotic arm including the moveable needle mounted thereto, the robotic arm configured to move the moveable needle in response to instructions from the control electrical circuitry.

26. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising an alarm configured to output a human perceivable indication to indicate that the machine-vision system is unable to locate the insertion-target region.

27. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising a subject distraction device configured to distract the living subject prior to the moveable needle being inserted therein.

28. The needle insertion system of claim 27, wherein the subject distraction device includes a sound-generation device configured to output noise audible to the living subject prior to or during insertion of the moveable needle into the living subject.

29. The needle insertion system of claim 27, wherein the subject distraction device is configured to visually distract the living subject prior to or during insertion of the moveable needle into the living subject.

30. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising:

a coagulant dispenser configured to dispense coagulant onto a region of the living subject; and

wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the coagulant dispenser to dispense the coagulant onto a region of the living subject that has been penetrated by the moveable needle.

31. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to control a withdrawal rate of the moveable needle from the living subject.

32. The needle insertion system of claim 1, further comprising a coagulant dispenser configured to apply a therapeutic force to the region after the moveable needle has been withdrawn from the living subject.

33. The needle insertion system of claim 30, wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to direct the coagulant dispenser to dispense the coagulant substantially simultaneously with withdrawal of the moveable needle from the living subject.

34. The needle insertion system of claim 1, wherein the control electrical circuitry is configured to correlate anatomical information viewed by and received from the machine-vision system with known anatomical data about the living subject.

35. The needle insertion system of claim 34, wherein the known anatomical information was determined using at least one of ultrasound imaging, x-ray imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, infrared imaging, visual imaging, or a computed tomography scan.

36. A method of inserting a needle of a needle insertion system into a living subject, comprising:

locating an insertion-target region on the living subject with a machine-vision system;

outputting location information from the machine-vision system to control electrical circuitry; and

automatically moving the needle to the insertion-target region in response to needle-targeting instructions output from the control electrical circuitry.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein automatically moving the needle to the insertion-target region in response to needle-targeting instructions output from the control electrical circuitry occurs without human intervention and after the needle is in operational range relative to the living subject.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein automatically moving the needle to the insertion-target region in response to needle-targeting instructions output from the control electrical circuitry includes automatically moving the needle with an actuator that receives the needle-targeting instructions.

39. The method of claim 36, further comprising dispensing fluid from the needle and inside the living subject after moving the needle to the insertion-target region.

40. The method of claim 36, further comprising drawing fluid obtained from the insertion-target region through the needle after moving the needle to the insertion-target region.

41. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

identifying one or more external locations on the living subject that have been previously penetrated by the needle or another needle with the machine-vision system; and

wherein automatically moving the needle to the insertion-target region in response to needle-targeting instructions output from the control electrical circuitry includes automatically moving the needle at least to another insertion-target region that has not been penetrated by the needle or the another needle.

42. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

selecting an operational force setting from a plurality of operational force settings; and

wherein automatically moving the needle to the insertion-target region in response to needle-targeting instructions output from the control electrical circuitry includes automatically moving the needle with a force corresponding to the selected operational force setting.

43. The method of claim 36, further comprising positioning the needle within operational range to the living subject prior to the automatically moving the needle.

44. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

sensing with at least one sensor at least one of fluid flow drawn through the needle, tissue resistance of the living subject to the needle, position of the needle within the living subject, or presence of blood; and

wherein automatically moving the needle to the insertion-target region in response to needle-targeting instructions output from the control electrical circuitry includes directing movement of the needle in response to one or more sensing signals received from the at least one sensor.

45. The method of claim 36, further comprising preparing a region of the living subject for insertion of the needle therethrough prior to the automatically moving the needle.

46. The method of claim 36, wherein preparing a region of the living subject for insertion of the needle therethrough prior to the automatically moving the needle includes cleaning the region of the living subject.

47. The method of claim 36, wherein preparing a region of the living subject for insertion of the needle therethrough prior to the automatically moving the needle includes dispensing a cleaning solution, a pain killer, a coagulant, an anesthetizing agent, or a nerve blocker onto the region of the living subject from a dispensing device.

48. The method of claim 36 wherein preparing a region of the living subject for insertion of the needle therethrough prior to the automatically moving the needle includes stretching skin of the living subject in or near the insertion-target region with a skin stretching device.

49. The method of claim 36, further comprising distracting the living subject prior to the automatically moving the needle.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein distracting the living subject includes generating a noise that is audible to the living subject.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein distracting the living subject includes visually distracting the living subject.

52. The method of claim 36, further comprising dispensing coagulant onto a region of the living subject that has been penetrated by the needle.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein dispensing coagulant onto a region of the living subject that has been penetrated by the needle includes dispensing the coagulant substantially simultaneously with withdrawing the needle from the living subject.

54. The method of claim 36, wherein the insertion-target region includes an internal insertion-target region disposed within the living subject.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the internal insertion-target region includes at least one of an artery, a muscle, or a bone.

56. The method of claim 36, wherein automatically moving the needle to the insertion-target region includes comparing the insertion-target region located by the machine-vision system to known anatomical data about the living subject.

57. The method of claim 36, further comprising temporarily mounting a needle insertion system to the living subject, wherein the needle insertion system includes the needle and the machine-vision system.

58. The method of claim 36, further comprising withdrawing the needle with a selected withdrawal rate.

59. The method of claim 36, further comprising automatically applying pressure to the insertion-target region after withdrawing the needle from the living subject.