C. R. Bard, Inc.

Bard Access Systems, Inc.

Bard Peripheral Vascular, Inc.

Eddie K Burnside

Shayne Messerly

Kelly B Powers

Jeremy B Cox

Kevin W Sheetz

Jason R Stats

Kelly J Christian

T Wade Fallin

Anthony K Misener

Jim C Beasley

Matthew W Bown

Catherine C Breiter

David J Ciavarella

Amir Orome

Bret Hamatake

Christian W Crook

Ryan R Lemon

Robert N Golden

Jay Gerondale

Kevin W Stinger

Daniel B Blanchard

Eric W Lindekugel

Jiaye Z Jho

Rodney L Scruggs

Steven J Tallarida

Ding Sheng He

Tyler L Durfee

Rand William Lee

Dennis L Salzmann

Matthew M Lowe

Glade Harold Howell

Joseph J Stupak, Jr

Jon B Newman

Martha R Wiley

Chad A Hadley

Paul D Morgan

Jeanette E Southard

Brian S Tanner

Bradley W Zentgraf

Russell L Bjorklund

Dylan K Robles

Randi Cleverly

Jimmy C Beasley

Sarah L Creasy

Michael S Guthrie

Heather R Murphy

Angela D Grosklags

Jay D Gerondale

Christian W Cook

Sarah L Montgomery

Ben Cohen

A medical device-placing system includes an ultrasound probe, a medical-device detector, a console, and an alternative-reality headset. The ultrasound probe is configured to emit ultrasound signals into a patient's limb and receive echoed ultrasound signals from the patient's limb. The medical-device detector is configured for placement about the patient's limb. The console is configured to transform the echoed ultrasound signals to produce ultrasound-image segments corresponding to anatomical structures of the patient's limb, as well as transform magnetic-sensor signals from the medical-device detector into location information for a magnetized medical device within the patient's limb. The alternative-reality headset includes a display screen through which a wearer of the alternative-reality headset can see the patient's limb. The display screen is configured to display over the patient's limb a virtual medical device per the location information for the medical device within objects of virtual anatomy corresponding to the ultrasound-image segments.

Systems and methods for visualizing anatomy, locating medical devices, or placing medical devices

A method of attaching a magnetic element to a needle assembly. The needle assembly can include a cannula extending along a longitudinal axis. The method can include placing the magnetic element in a magnetic field such that a magnetic axis of the magnetic element substantially aligns with the magnetic field. The method can further include securing the magnetic element to a portion of the needle assembly while the magnetic element is substantially aligned with the magnetic field such that the magnetic axis of the magnetic element is secured in a desired predetermined orientation.

Needle assembly including an aligned magnetic element

An ultrasound probe assembly includes an ultrasound probe, an ultrasound cap, a solid hydrogel component, and a cover. The ultrasound probe can include a probe head and an orientation indicator. The probe head includes an acoustic surface. The ultrasound cap can include an opening defined by an opening perimeter, and a base configured to support a removable needle guide. The base can be aligned with the orientation indicator. The solid hydrogel component can include a probe-contacting side contacting the acoustic surface, a skin-contacting side extending through the opening, and an outer perimeter larger than the opening perimeter. The cover can be configured to cover the hydrogel component and at least a portion of the ultrasound cap.

Support and cover structures for an ultrasound probe head

A catheter assembly including one or more conductive pathways to assist with placement of the catheter assembly into a patient's vasculature by enabling ECG signals emanating from the patient's heart to be detected, and a method for reconfirming an initial position of a distal end of a catheter tube of the catheter assembly. The conductive pathways can be configured to reconfirm via ECG signal detection proper placement of the catheter tube at a time subsequent to initial catheter placement into the vasculature. The catheter assembly can include an outer conductive pathway deposited on an outer surface of the catheter tube. The outer conductive pathway can have a distal end located distal to a portion of the catheter tube at a skin insertion site when the catheter tube is inserted into a patient.

Systems and methods for confirmation of prior catheter tip placement

A catheter placement system designed to establish a conductive pathway through a sterile barrier from a sterile field to a non-sterile field. The catheter placement system can include a stylet having a first connector including a piercing component, and a sensing component, and a data-receiving component having a second connector. The data-receiving component can be designed for positioning in the non-sterile field under the sterile barrier. The first connector can be designed to conductively connect to the second connector of the data-receiving component through the sterile barrier via the piercing component without compromising the sterile field.

Systems and methods for breaching a sterile field for intravascular placement of a catheter

An integrated catheter placement system for placing a catheter in a vasculature of a patient. The system includes a system console with a tip location mode and an ultrasound mode viewable on a display, a magnetic assembly emanating a magnetic field, a tip location sensor designed to sense the magnetic field, and an ultrasound probe for ultrasonically imaging an internal portion of the patient. The magnetic field may provide magnetic field information for locating the magnetic assembly relative to the tip location sensor. The tip location sensor is designed to communicate the magnetic field information to the system console. The system console is designed to display an icon representative of a location of the magnetic assembly relative to the tip location sensor in the tip location mode.

Integrated system for intravascular placement of a catheter

A guidance system for guiding insertion of a needle into a body of a patient utilizes ultrasound imaging or other suitable imaging technology. The guidance system can include an imaging device including a probe for producing an image of the internal body portion target, such as a blood vessel. The imaging device can be configured to provide at least one indication of status via sensory feedback based on a determined position of the needle, for example via a plurality of light-emitting diodes located on the device. One or more sensors can be included with the probe that can sense a magnetic field associated with the needle. The system may include a processor that can receive magnetic field data sensed by the at-least-one sensor to determine the position of the needle. The system can also include a display that depicts the determined position of the needle.

Systems and methods for ultrasound probe needle tracking status indicators

A catheter assembly including one or more conductive pathways to assist with placement of the catheter assembly into a patient's vasculature by enabling ECG signals emanating from the patient's heart to be detected. The conductive pathways can be configured to reconfirm via ECG signal detection proper placement of the catheter assembly at a time subsequent to initial catheter placement into the vasculature. The catheter assembly can include a catheter hub, a catheter tube coupled to the catheter hub, the catheter tube including at least one lumen, and an outer conductive pathway disposed on an outer surface of the catheter tube and the hub. The outer conductive pathway can have a distal end located distal to a portion of the catheter tube at a skin insertion site when the catheter tube is inserted into a patient.

A method of positioning a catheter in a blood vessel. The method includes ultrasonically imaging the blood vessel using an ultrasound probe to generate an ultrasound image, communicating the ultrasound image to a console, and displaying the ultrasound image on the console. The method further includes coupling a stylet to the catheter, the stylet including a stylet control module including a timer circuit, and a coil assembly connected to the stylet control module. The method further includes introducing and advancing the catheter and the coil assembly in the blood vessel, sending an electric pulse signal from the timer circuit to the coil assembly at a pulse signal frequency, emitting an electromagnetic field from the coil assembly, and detecting the electromagnetic field by an external sensor. The method may further include synchronizing the pulse signal frequency, and determining a position of the coil assembly with respect to the external sensor.

System for placement of a catheter including a signal-generating stylet

A probe cap for use with an ultrasound probe including a head portion and an acoustic surface is disclosed. In one embodiment, the probe cap includes a body that defines a cavity sized for releasably receiving the head portion of the probe therein. The probe cap body further defines a hole that is proximate the acoustic surface of the head portion. A compliant spacer component is disposed in the hole. The spacer component can include a hydrogel and provides an acoustic path between the acoustic surface and a tissue surface of a patient. The spacer component includes a skin contact surface that defines a concavity and is deformable against the tissue surface.

Spacers for use with an ultrasound probe

A system for tracking the position of one or more medical devices for insertion into the body of a patient is disclosed. The system may also be used to locate one or medical devices at a later time after placement thereof. The present system employs multiple radiating elements that can be simultaneously detected by a sensor unit of the system, wherein at least one of the radiating elements is included with the medical device. Another of the radiating elements may be placed at a predetermined point on the skin of the patient to serve as a landmark to help determine the location of the medical device with respect to the landmark. Detection of the radiating elements by the sensor unit enables the relative positions of the radiating elements to be ascertained and depicted on a display, to assist a clinician in accurately positioning the medical device, such as a catheter.

Multiple coil system for tracking a medical device

A catheter placement system for positioning a catheter in a vasculature of a patient using at least two different modalities. The catheter placement system includes a console with a display, a stylet removably positionable within a lumen of the catheter, a tip location sensor, and an external electrode. The stylet may include an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor assembly for detecting ECG signals of a node of a heart of the patient, and a first connector in communication with the ECG sensor assembly. The tip location sensor may be configured to detect the stylet when the catheter is disposed within the vasculature of the patient, and to communicate information of the stylet to the console. The console may be configured to receive at least one aspect of the ECG signal detected by the ECG sensor assembly indicative of proximity of the ECG sensor assembly to the node.

An integrated catheter placement system for accurately placing a catheter within a patient's vasculature is disclosed. In one embodiment, the integrated system comprises a system console, a tip location sensor for temporary placement on the patient's chest, and an ultrasound probe. The tip location sensor senses a magnetic field of a stylet disposed in a lumen of the catheter when the catheter is disposed in the vasculature. The ultrasound probe ultrasonically images a portion of the vasculature prior to introduction of the catheter. ECG signal-based catheter tip guidance is included in the integrated system to enable guidance of the catheter tip to a desired position with respect to a node of the patient's heart. Various methods for establishing a conductive pathway between a sterile field of the patient and a non-sterile field are also disclosed.

An access port for subcutaneous implantation is disclosed. Such an access port may comprise a body for capturing a septum for repeatedly inserting a needle therethrough into a cavity defined within the body. Further, the access port may include at least one feature structured and configured for identification of the access port subsequent to subcutaneous implantation. Methods of identifying a subcutaneously implanted access port are also disclosed. For example, a subcutaneously implanted access port may be provided and at least one feature of the subcutaneously implanted access port may be perceived. Further, the subcutaneously implanted access port may be identified in response to perceiving the at least one feature.

Access port identification systems and methods

A probe cap for use with an ultrasound probe including a head portion and an acoustic surface is disclosed. In one embodiment, the probe cap includes a body that defines a cavity sized for releasably receiving the head portion of the probe therein. The probe cap body further defines a hole that is proximate the acoustic surface of the head portion. A compliant spacer component is disposed in the hole. The spacer component can include a hydrogel and provides an acoustic path between the acoustic surface and a tissue surface of a patient. The spacer component includes a skin contact surface that defines a concavity and is deformable against the tissue surface. Additional embodiments disclose various probe cap and accompanying needle guide designs for use in assisting a clinician with ultrasound probe use and needle insertion into a patient.

Growing community of inventors

Bountiful, UT, United States of America

Eddie K Burnside