Horizon Patents, LLC.

James B Solomon

Mark M Gottlieb

A detector and a method of its use with a guidewire to reduce the incidence of guidewires accidently being left inside patients during the placement of central venous (and other) catheters. In particular, an electronic detector detects whether a catheter has been placed over a guidewire and whether the guidewire has been removed thereafter. In addition, the distance the guidewire has progressed out the patient side of the detector housing which will correspond to the length of guidewire actually inside the patient and any time may be provided.

Electronic guidewire detector for catheter insertion

The present invention is directed to a guidewire configured to reduce the incidence of medical accidents when using guidewires including, but not limited to, the incidence of guidewires accidentally being pushed completely into a patient through a needle in the patient, guidewires accidently being left inside patients after the placement of central venous (and other) catheters, and guidewires accidently being left inside patients after removal of the catheter (at the end of an operation of other medical procedure). In particular, an intermediary portion (either in the form of a new shape (referred to herein as 'an obstruction portion') or an alternate (e.g., more flexible) material) of the guidewire inhibits further advancement into the needle with pushing motion. (The intermediary portion can be implemented as an additional portion connected between the patient-side portion and the doctor-side portion of the guidewire as well.)

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Vienna, VA, United States of America

James B Solomon