Ultrasound methods of positioning guided vascular access devices in the venous system
First Claim
1. A method for positioning an instrument in the venous system of a body, comprising:
- inserting the instrument within a vein of the venous system;
acquiring patient specific data using the instrument prior to moving the instrument within the vein;
transmitting an in vivo non-imaging ultrasound signal into the vein using an ultrasound transducer on a distal portion of the instrument;
receiving a reflected in vivo non-imaging ultrasound signal from the vein using the instrument;
processing, using a processor, the reflected in vivo non-imaging ultrasound signal to generate a processed ultrasound signal;
calculating, using the processor, one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features extracted from the processed ultrasound signal, wherein the one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features includes a ratio of a blood flow velocity away from the ultrasound transducer and a blood flow velocity towards the ultrasound transducer;
determining, using the processor, a position of the instrument within the venous system based on the calculated one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features;
displaying to a user a first indication of the determined position within the venous system;
moving the instrument based on whether the displayed first indication is a desired indication; and
determining, using the processor, whether the instrument has reached the superior vena cava based on the calculated one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to the guidance, positioning and placement confirmation of intravascular devices, such as catheters, stylets, guidewires and other flexible elongate bodies that are typically inserted percutaneously into the venous or arterial vasculature. An aspect of the invention includes, for example, an endovenous access and guidance system. The system comprises: an elongate flexible member adapted and configured to access the venous vasculature of a patient; a sensor disposed at a distal end of the elongate flexible member and configured to provide in vivo non-image based ultrasound information of the venous vasculature of the patient; a processor configured to receive and process in vivo non-image based ultrasound information of the venous vasculature of the patient provided by the sensor and to provide position information regarding the position of the distal end of the elongate flexible member within the venous vasculature of the patient; and an output device adapted to output the position information from the processor.
232 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for positioning an instrument in the venous system of a body, comprising:
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inserting the instrument within a vein of the venous system; acquiring patient specific data using the instrument prior to moving the instrument within the vein; transmitting an in vivo non-imaging ultrasound signal into the vein using an ultrasound transducer on a distal portion of the instrument; receiving a reflected in vivo non-imaging ultrasound signal from the vein using the instrument; processing, using a processor, the reflected in vivo non-imaging ultrasound signal to generate a processed ultrasound signal; calculating, using the processor, one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features extracted from the processed ultrasound signal, wherein the one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features includes a ratio of a blood flow velocity away from the ultrasound transducer and a blood flow velocity towards the ultrasound transducer; determining, using the processor, a position of the instrument within the venous system based on the calculated one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features; displaying to a user a first indication of the determined position within the venous system; moving the instrument based on whether the displayed first indication is a desired indication; and determining, using the processor, whether the instrument has reached the superior vena cava based on the calculated one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for positioning an instrument in the venous system of a body, comprising:
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inserting the instrument within a vein of the venous system; transmitting an in vivo non-imaging ultrasound signal into the vein using an ultrasound transducer on a distal portion of the instrument; receiving a reflected in vivo non-imaging ultrasound signal from the vein using the instrument; processing, using a processor, the reflected in vivo non-imaging ultrasound signal to generate a processed ultrasound signal; calculating, using the processor, one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features extracted from the processed ultrasound signal, wherein the one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features includes a ratio of a blood flow power spectrum away from the transducer and a blood flow power spectrum towards the transducer; determining, using the processor, a position of the instrument within the venous system based on the calculated one or more non-pulsatile blood flow features; displaying to a user a first indication of the determined position within the venous system; and moving the instrument based on whether the displayed first indication is a desired indication. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification