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Method for pain-reducing skin puncture

  • US 9,675,766 B2
  • Filed: 09/05/2012
  • Issued: 06/13/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2004
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for reducing pain associated with a skin-puncturing procedure of tissue of a human or an animal, the method comprising:

  • providing an instrument having;

    (a) a main body having a forward end;

    (b) a lightpipe projecting from the forward end of the main body;

    (c) a single-use tip having a tip sleeve removably mounted on the forward end of the main body and a tip member removably mounted on the lightpipe;

    and(d) an elastic overmold covering the tip sleeve and the tip member;

    selecting a puncture site on the tissue;

    creating vibrations in the main body;

    transmitting the vibrations through the lightpipe to the tip member to vibrate the tip member;

    applying the tip member to the tissue at the puncture site, while the vibrations are transmitted through the lightpipe to the tip member, whereby the tissue is vibrated at the puncture site;

    puncturing the tissue with a needle at the tissue puncture site, wherein vibrating the tissue facilitates pain reduction during the puncturing; and

    upon completion, tearing the elastic overmold from the tip such that the tip cannot be reused.

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