Insertion indicator for needle

• US 8,608,697 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University), Stanford University
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford University)
• Inventors: Tran, Pelu, Dinh, Khang Trong, Pipathsouk, Andrew, Chung, Benjamin, Li, Hongbin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Assistant Examiner(s): PENG, LAUREN MICHELE
• Application Number:
  US13/041,284
• Publication Number:
  US 20110218485A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 604/107, 604/117, 604/164.02, 604/162.12, 604/165.01, 604/165.02, 60416701-16801, 604/131, 604/26, 604/158, 604/118
• US Class Current: 604/117
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3474 Insufflating needles, e.g. Veress needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3496 Protecting sleeves or inner probes; Retractable tips for protecting body piercing guide needles A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 13/00 Insufflators for therapeutic or disinfectant purposes , i.e. devices for blowing a gas, powder or vapour into the body hand-held units in which gas flow is produced by muscular energy at the moment of use B05B11/062

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for a fluid level insertion indicator that provides immediate feedback to a surgeon by draining when a tip of a needle has entered a body lumen, such as peritoneal cavity. An apparatus includes a handle connected to a hollow needle and a hollow stylet that extends through the hollow needle and has a blunt distal end that includes an opening for passing fluid. A spring biases the stylet to extend past the sharp distal end of the needle absent resistance by tissue against the stylet. An at least partially translucent pressure chamber configured to hold a quantity of fluid under pressure is connected to the proximal end of the stylet. The pressure chamber and stylet form a conduit for passing fluid through the opening in the blunt distal end when the stylet extends past the sharp distal end of the hollow needle.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a handle having proximal end and distal end connected at the distal end to a hollow needle having a sharp distal end for penetrating tissue, wherein the handle and needle form a conduit for passing fluid or instruments or both through the distal end of the needle;

a hollow stylet having a proximal end and a blunt distal end, which extends through the hollow needle, wherein the proximal end of the stylet is disposed on a proximal side of the distal end of the handle and the blunt distal end includes an opening for passing fluid through the blunt distal end;

a spring housed within the handle for biasing the stylet to extend past the sharp distal end of the needle absent resistance by tissue against the stylet; and

an at least partially translucent indicator chamber configured to hold visibly a quantity of indicator fluid under elevated pressure, wherein the indicator chamber has a distal end connected to the proximal end of the stylet, wherein the indicator chamber and stylet form a conduit for passing indicator fluid through the opening in the blunt distal end of the stylet when the stylet extends past the sharp distal end of the hollow needle.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the stylet includes a first fixture on its proximal end and the indicator chamber includes a complementary second fixture on its distal end and the indicator chamber is removeably connected to the stylet through the first and second fixtures.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a flow valve disposed where the indicator chamber is connected to the stylet.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicator chamber includes a first fixture on its proximal end for connection to a source of pressure.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein the indicator chamber includes a flow valve disposed at its proximal end, wherein the flow valve is configured for retaining pressure in the indicator chamber after removal of the source of pressure.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicator chamber has a cross sectional length large enough to be easily viewed by a person operating the apparatus and a cross sectional width small enough so that passing a small volume of indicator fluid through the stylet makes a noticeable change in a fluid level in the indicator chamber.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein cross sectional length is about one centimeter and the cross sectional width is about 2 millimeters.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the indicator chamber is at least partially transparent.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising non-toxic colored indicator fluid disposed in the indicator chamber.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the indicator chamber further comprises gradation markings; and

the colored indicator fluid is a different color from a color of the gradation markings.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein a float is not included in the indicator chamber.

12. A method:

comprising;

puncturing a surface of skin of a subject with a sharp distal end of a hollow needle, wherein a hollow stylet having a proximal end and a blunt distal end extends through the hollow needle and the blunt distal end includes an opening for passing fluid through the blunt distal end, and wherein an at least partially translucent indicator chamber holds visibly a quantity of indicator fluid and has a distal end connected through a closed flow valve to the proximal end of the stylet, wherein the indicator chamber and stylet form a conduit for passing indicator fluid through the opening in the blunt distal end of the stylet when the stylet extends past the sharp distal end of the hollow needle;

opening the flow valve after puncturing the surface of the skin of the subject;

after opening the flow valve, advancing the distal end of the hollow needle through successive fascia of tissue in the subject while the indicator fluid is observed to remain at a substantively constant level in the indicator chamber and

stopping advancement of the distal end of the hollow needle upon observing the indicator fluid passing out of the indicator chamber;

before puncturing the surface of the skin of the subject and after disposing the quantity of non-toxic indicator fluid into the indicator chamber, pressurizing the chamber by attaching a pressure source to a proximal end of the indicator chamber and opening a second flow valve at a proximal end of the indicator chamber to increase pressure inside the indicator chamber.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising commencing insufflation through the hollow needle after stopping advancement of the distal end of the hollow needle.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein commencing insufflation through the hollow needle further comprises injecting gas through the hollow stylet while the blunt distal end is extended through the sharp distal end of the needle.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein commencing insufflation through the hollow needle further comprises removing the hollow stylet through the proximal end of the hollow needle and injecting gas through the hollow needle.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, further comprising, after commencing insufflation through the hollow needle, advancing a laparoscopic instrument through the hollow needle.

17. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising, before puncturing the surface of the skin of the subject, disposing a quantity of non-toxic indicator fluid into the indicator chamber to the substantively constant level.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the indicator chamber further comprises gradation markings; and

the non-toxic indicator fluid is a different color from a color of the gradation markings.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein pressurizing the indicator chamber further comprises closing the second flow valve to maintain pressure inside the indicator chamber and detaching the pressure source from the proximal end of the indicator chamber.