Vasculuminator - Imager for patient vessel punctures
Many people, especially children, hate having intravenous needles stuck in them. Distress which is only compounded if several attempts have to be made because the blood vessel is difficult to find. This can be a particular problem for some patient groups, such as babies with a lot of subcutaneous fat and people with dark skin.
Since we know that infrared light passes straight through muscular and connective tissue but is absorbed by the blood in veins and arteries, the Department of Clinical Physics at Utrecht University Medical Centre (UMC Utrecht) came up with an idea to put that fact to good use. The result is the Vasculuminator, which combines an infrared light source with a special camera so that blood vessels show up clearly on a monitor even when they are invisible to the naked eye. In children, the device reduces the chance of a needle missing its mark from 12 per cent to a mere 2 per cent.
WeLL Design’s involvement began with a user survey at the hospital’s vaccination clinic, neonatal unit and oncology department. We then went on to design the production model, paying particular attention to its ergonomics, ease of use, aesthetics and manufacturability. Finally, we completed the engineering and built a prototype in time for demonstration at the November 2008 Medica trade fair in Düsseldorf. All within just five months!
