Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VEIN SIMULATOR SYSTEM
BACKGROUND
[0001] When clinicians such as nursing students graduate, they
typically have a minimal level
of proficiency in placing peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVCs) and are
expected to gain
proficiency on the job. A problem with this approach is that an inexperienced
clinician will
oftentimes require multiple attempts to successfully place a PIVC ¨ an
experience that is not
pleasant for the patient. To minimize negative experiences, many facilities
limit the number of
failed attempts an inexperienced clinician can make. After the inexperienced
clinician reaches the
maximum allowed number of failed attempts (e.g., two), an experienced
clinician will be required
to place the PIVC.
[0002] Some vein simulators have been developed to allow
inexperienced clinicians to improve
their proficiency in placing PIVCs. Such vein simulators are oftentimes in the
form of a fake arm
containing a tube through which red fluid is pumped. These vein simulators may
be made of
materials that respond similar to human skin and veins and may therefore allow
an inexperienced
clinician to learn how it should feel when the needle pierces the vein during
placement of a PIVC.
However, these vein simulators do not provide useful guidance for teaching the
inexperienced
clinician when he or she has properly or improperly placed the PIVC.
[0003] The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to
embodiments that solve any
disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described
above. Rather, this
background is only provided to illustrate one example technology area where
some
implementations described herein may be practiced.
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SUMMARY
[0004] The present disclosure relates generally to a vein simulator
system that can be used by
clinicians to improve their proficiency in placing catheters such as PIVCs or
in otherwise accessing
a vasculature. A vein simulator system can include a simulated portion of a
body, such as a
simulated human arm, that includes at least one simulated vein. The vein
simulator system can
also include a control system, one or more sensors and one or more feedback
components. The
control system can leverage the one or more sensors to generate feedback
during a clinician's
attempt to place a catheter and can output the feedback via the feedback
components, either during
or after the attempt.
[0005] In some embodiments, a vein simulator system may include a
simulated portion of a
body that includes a first simulated vein, a control system, at least one
sensor and at least one
feedback component. The control system may be configured to employ the at
least one sensor to
create feedback while a clinician attempts to place a catheter in the first
simulated vein. The
control system may be further configured to present the feedback to the
clinician via the at least
one feedback component.
[0006] In some embodiments, the simulated portion of the body is a
simulated human arm. In
some embodiments, the at least one sensor includes one or more cameras. In
some embodiments,
the at least one feedback component includes a display device. In some
embodiments, the camera
is external to the simulated portion of the body. In some embodiments, the
simulated portion of
the body includes simulated inner tissue within which the first simulated
extends and the camera
is positioned within to the simulated inner tissue. In some embodiments, the
camera is positioned
inside the first simulated vein.
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[0007] In some embodiments, the simulated portion of the body
includes simulated inner tissue
and the vein simulator system further includes a light source that illuminates
the simulated inner
tissue. In some embodiments, the at least one sensor includes a film that is
on or forms part of a
sidewall of the simulated vein. In some embodiments, the control system
creates the feedback
based on a signal created, induced or conveyed by the film in response to
proximity or contact of
a needle used to place the catheter. In some embodiments, the at least one
feedback component
includes an audio feedback component or a visual feedback component. In some
embodiments,
the at least one sensor comprises multiple sensors, and the control system is
configured to create
an association between feedback generated by the multiple sensors.
[0008] In some embodiments, a vein simulator system may include a
simulated portion of a
body that includes simulated inner flesh, a first simulated vein that extends
within the simulated
inner flesh and simulated skin that is positioned overtop the simulated inner
flesh and the first
simulated vein. The vein simulator system may further include a control system
and at least one
camera that is positioned to capture video of the first simulated vein.
[0009] In some embodiments, the at least one camera may be positioned
outside the simulated
inner flesh, positioned inside the simulated inner flesh and/or positioned
inside the first simulated
vein. In some embodiments, the vein simulator system may include at least one
sensor positioned
on or in a sidewall of the first simulated vein, and the at least one sensor
may be configured to
provide to the control system an indication of when a needle contacts or is
proximate to the sensor.
In some embodiments, the vein simulator system may include at least one
feedback component.
In some embodiments, the at least one feedback component may be one or more of
a display
device, a speaker or a light.
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[0010] In some embodiments, a vein simulator system may include a
simulated portion of a
body that includes a first simulated vein, a pump for pumping fluid through
the first simulated
vein, a control system, at least one sensor and at least one feedback
component. In some
embodiments, the control system may be configured to use the at least one
sensor to generate
feedback while a clinician attempts to place a catheter in the first simulated
vein, and may be
configured to output the feedback via the at least one feedback component.
[0011] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following
detailed description are examples and explanatory and are not restrictive of
the invention, as
claimed. It should be understood that the various embodiments are not limited
to the arrangements
and instrumentality shown in the drawings. It should also be understood that
the embodiments may
be combined, or that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural
changes, unless so
claimed, may be made without departing from the scope of the various
embodiments of the present
invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken
in a limiting sense.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Example embodiments will be described and explained with
additional specificity and
detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which.
[0013] Figure 1A is an assembled view of a vein simulator system that
is configured in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0014] Figure 1B is a disassembled view of the vein simulator system
of Figure 1A;
[0015] Figure 1C shows the vein simulator system of Figure 1A with
the simulated arm
removed;
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[0016] Figure 1D shows the vein simulator system of Figure lA with
the simulated skin
removed from the simulated arm;
[0017] Figure lE shows the vein simulator system of Figure 1A with
the simulated skin
partially removed from the simulated arm;
[0018] Figure 2A shows a clinician using the vein simulator system of
Figure 1A;
[0019] Figure 2B provides an example of visual feedback that may be
provided during
placement of a PIVC by the vein simulator system of Figure 1A or another vein
simulator system
that is configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure;
100201 Figure 3A is a block diagram representing how a vein simulator
system that is
configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure can employ a
camera that is external to a simulated vein to provide visual feedback during
placement of a PIVC;
[0021] Figure 3B is a block diagram representing how a vein simulator
system that is
configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure can employ a
camera that is internal to a simulated vein to provide visual feedback during
placement of a PIVC;
and
[0022] Figures 4A and 4B are each a block diagram representing how a
vein simulator system
that is configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present
disclosure can
employ a sensor on or within a simulated vein to provide feedback during
placement of a PIVC.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0023] A vein simulator system that is configured in accordance with
one or more embodiments
of the present disclosure can employ one or more sensors to provide feedback
to a clinician during
the process of placing a PIVC. Different types of sensors may be employed to
provide different
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types of feedback. For example, a camera may be employed to provide visual
(e.g., video)
feedback of the advancement of the PIVC within a simulated vein. As another
example, a film,
such as a conductive or capacitive material, may be included on, within or
near a simulated vein
to provide visual and/or audio feedback representing the position of the PIVC
within a simulated
vein.
[0024] Figures 1A-1E provide an example of a vein simulator system
100 that is configured in
accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure. Vein
simulator system 100
includes a base 110 having a housing 111 and a support 112. Housing 111 can
primarily be used
to house various computing, electrical or other components, while support 112
can primarily be
used to support a simulated arm or other simulated portion of a human body or
animal.
[0025] In some embodiments, a simulated arm or other simulated
portion can be formed of
simulated inner tissue 130 (e.g., medical gelatin) which may include a number
of channels (e.g.,
channels 131 and 132) for receiving simulated veins (e.g., simulated veins 141
and 142 which may
be formed of rubber latex tubing in some embodiments) and simulated skin 150
(e.g., a silicone-
based material with a single outer layer of a spandex powermesh fabric) for
covering simulated
inner tissue 130. Simulated inner tissue 130 can be positioned on top of
support 112 and simulated
skin 150 can be placed overtop simulated inner tissue 130 and secured to
support 112 via securing
members 113. For example, as best seen in Figure 1E, support 112 may include
holes 118 for
receiving screws 119 which tighten securing member 113 overtop the sides of
simulated skin 150.
Screws 119 may insert through simulated skin 150 to ensure that simulated skin
150 is held tightly
overtop simulated inner tissue 130. As other examples, springs, loaded clamps,
snap members, or
any other suitable mechanism could be used to secure securing member 113 to
support 112.
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[0026] Simulated veins 141 and 142 can be positioned in channels 131
and 132 and connected
together at one end and connected to pump 133 at the opposite end to thereby
enable pump 133 to
cause simulated to flow through simulated veins 141 and 142. In some
embodiments, support 112
can be at least partially hollow to allow the ends of simulated veins 141 and
142 to be connected
(e.g., via tubing that extends between holes 117 in support 112 and protruding
end 115. In some
embodiments, a single length of tubing could be used to form simulated veins
141 and 142. In
some embodiments, channels 131 and 132 and simulated veins 141 and 142 may be
sized and
configured in an anatomically correct manner (e.g., to match the size and
position of veins in an
actual human arm). However, any configuration of channel(s) and simulated
vein(s) could be used
in embodiments.
[0027] Vein simulator system 100 may also include a control system
120 (e.g., a computer) that
can be housed within housing 111. In some embodiments, control system 120 may
power pump
133 to ensure that fluid pressure and fluid flow within simulated veins 141
and 142 matches a
desired blood pressure and rate of blood flow. In some embodiments, control
system 120 may
power/control a light source 122 that may be positioned under or within
simulated inner tissue
130. For example, support 112 may include a channel 116 within which light
source 122 may be
housed. In some embodiments, light source 122 may be in the form of an LED
strip. In some
embodiments, light source 122 may extend along the full length of simulated
inner tissue 130 or
along a portion of the length of simulated inner tissue 130 (e.g., under an
intended insertion site).
[0028] As best seen in Figure 1D, in some embodiments, simulated
inner tissue 130 may be
transparent such that light source 122 may illuminate it and allow camera 121
(which is one type
of sensor that may be employed in embodiments of the present disclosure) to
capture video of
simulated inner tissue 130 (which is a visual type of feedback that may be
provided in
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embodiments of the present disclosure). For example, housing 111 may include a
wall 114 that
faces simulated inner tissue 130 and includes an opening 114a. Camera 121 may
be placed in
opening 114a and directed towards simulated inner tissue 130. Control system
120 may then use
camera 121 to capture video of simulated inner tissue 130 and simulated veins
141 and 142 while
a clinician practices placing a PIVC. In some embodiments, vein simulator
system 100 may
include a display device 160 that may be coupled to control system 120 to
thereby enable control
system 120 to output the video to display device 160. Accordingly, the
clinician can watch the
video on display device 160 as his or she attempts to place the PIVC.
100291 Simulated inner tissue 130, simulated veins 141 and 142 and
simulated skin 150 can be
designed to have mechanical properties matching those of a human arm. For
example, by
configuring simulated skin 150 from a silicone-based material having an outer
layer of a spandex
powermesh fabric and by configuring simulated veins 141 and 142 of rubber
latex tubing, the
penetration force and stiffness can substantially match the penetration force
and stiffness of human
skin and veins. Also, simulated veins 141 and 142 can be sized and positioned
to match the size
and position of human veins. Pump 133 can be configured to create fluid
pressure within simulated
veins 141 and 142 matching human blood pressure thereby creating a realistic
flashback when
simulated veins 141 and 142 are punctured. Further, by forming simulated inner
tissue 130 of
medical gelatin, it can provide support and consistency similar to human
subcutaneous tissue while
being transparent to facilitate viewing the insertion site as described below.
In some embodiments,
a heat gun can be used on simulated inner tissue 130 after it is molded into
shape to increase its
transparency. In some embodiments, a flat piece of glass or clear plastic may
be pressed against
simulated inner tissue 130 to flatten its surface and remove optical
distortions caused by any
unevenness of the surface.
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[0030] Figures 2A and 2B provide an example of how vein simulator system 100
may allow a
clinician to watch video of his or her attempt to place a PIVC. Figure 2A
shows a clinician 200
attempting to place a PIVC into simulated vein 141. Figure 2B provides an
example of the video
that camera 121 may capture and that may be displayed on display device 160
during this attempt.
As shown, light source 122 in channel 116 illuminates simulated inner tissue
130 including
channels 131 and 132 and simulated veins 141 and 142 contained therein. With
this illumination,
needle 210 and the distal tip 211 of needle 210 can be seen. In particular,
the video enables the
clinician to see the position of distal tip 211 relative to the sidewall 141a
of simulated vein 141.
In this context, the sidewall can be viewed as a wall of simulated vein 141
that is opposite the point
of insertion and may typically be the bottom wall of simulated vein 141.
[0031] By viewing the video, whether during or after placing the
PIVC, the clinician can learn
whether he or she successfully placed the PIVC. For example, the visual
feedback that camera
121 provides can help the clinician learn when distal tip 211 of needle 210
has reached the proper
position within simulated vein 141. This can assist the clinician, not only in
initially piercing
simulated vein 141, but in avoiding contacting or piercing sidewall 141a after
needle 210 is within
simulated vein 141.
[0032] In the above-described embodiments, camera 121 is housed
within housing 111 and
positioned at the edge of simulated inner tissue 130. Various other positions
and/or configurations
of camera 121 may be employed in embodiments of the present disclosure. For
example, Figure
3A represents how camera 121 could be positioned within simulated inner tissue
130. In such
embodiments, camera 121 could be placed in any suitable location within
simulated inner tissue
130 and oriented towards the intended insertion area. For example, in Figure
3A, camera 121 is
positioned to the side of simulated vein 141 and captures a view that is
perpendicular to the length
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of simulated vein. In other examples, camera 121 may be positioned above or
below simulated
vein 141 and may capture a view that aligns with the length of simulated vein
141. Figure 3B
provides an example where camera 121 is positioned within simulated vein 141.
In such cases,
camera 121 may be positioned upstream or downstream of the intended insertion
area. In some
embodiments, multiple cameras 121 may be used and may be positioned and/or
oriented in a
variety of ways to thereby capture a variety of views of the insertion area.
[0033] Figures 4A and 4B provide examples where vein simulator system
100 includes a sensor
400 that is contained in, on or adjacent to simulated vein 141. In Figure 4A,
sensor 400 may be in
the form of a film that lines sidewall 141a, is embedded in sidewall 141a or
is sufficiently near
sidewall 141a to detect a change in an electrical property (e.g., capacitance)
that a needle of a PIVC
may invoke when it approaches or contacts the film. For example, sensor 400
could be a capacitive
film that generates a signal that represents the proximity of the needle
(e.g., by changing it
capacitance relative to the proximity). Sensor 400 could provide such a signal
to circuitry 401 of
control system 120. Circuitry 401 could process the signal to determine the
proximity of the needle
and/or to determine when the needle has contacted sensor 400.
[0034] Control system 120 may include a feedback component 402 by
which control system
120 outputs feedback. For example, feedback component 402 could be a speaker
that outputs
audio feedback. In such cases, circuitry 401 could cause feedback component
402 to output a
sound when the signal from sensor 400 indicates that the needle has contacted
sensor 400.
Similarly, circuitry 401 could cause feedback component 402 to output a sound
when the signal
from sensor 400 indicates that the needle is approaching sensor 400 and may
vary this sound (e.g.,
its pitch or volume) as the needle gets closer to sensor 400. The clinician
can rely on such sound(s)
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to learn when the needle has reached the correct position for proper placement
of the PIVC and/or
to learn to avoid contacting sidewall 141a.
[0035] As another example, feedback component could be a visual
feedback component such
as one or more LEDs or even display device 160. In such cases, circuitry 401
could cause a visual
feedback to be output to feedback component 402 to represent when the needle
has contacted
sensor 400 and/or to represent the current proximity of the needle to sensor
400. For example, if
feedback component 402 is an LED, circuitry 401 could cause the LED to flash
at quicker intervals
as the needle approaches sensor 400. As another example, circuitry 401 could
generate and update
a visual representation of the needle's position relative to sidewall 141a
based on the signal
received from sensor 400 and provide the visual representation to feedback
component 402 for
display to the clinician (e.g., as part of a display incorporated into housing
111 or on display device
160). Any other reasonable type of feedback component could also be used.
[0036] Figure 4B is a variation in which sensor 400 forms part of a
circuit that is completed
when the needle contacts sensor 400. In particular, the needle and sensor 400
may be connected
to circuitry 401 which can detect when the needle contacts sensor 400 due to a
change in current
and/or voltage that this contact causes. In such embodiments, circuitry 401
may use feedback
component 402 as described above to present feedback to the clinician.
[0037] In embodiments of the present disclosure, a vein simulator
system may employ any one
or more of the above-described types of sensors and feedback to assist a
clinician in learning to
properly place a PIVC. For example, in addition to camera 121, vein simulator
system 100 may
include sensor 400 to better notify the clinician when he or she contacts
sidewall 141a.
[0038] In some embodiments, control system 120 may be configured to
store the feedback that
it generates so that it may be subsequently reviewed and/or scored. For
example, control system
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120 may maintain a log of a clinician's attempts to place a PIVC using vein
simulator system 100.
In such cases, control system 120 (or an external system) could use the log to
create a score for the
clinician. Such a score could represent whether each particular attempt was
successful, an extent
to which each particular attempt was successful, an average success rate, a
success trend or any
other measurement of success.
[0039] In embodiments where multiple sensors are employed, control
system 120 may be
configured to create associations between feedback from the different sensors.
For example,
control system 120 may employ a video time code to associate feedback from
sensor 400 with the
video. Such associations could enable the clinician to determine, while
watching the video, exactly
when the needle contacted the sidewall.
[0040] Although this disclosure provides an example where the vein
simulator system
resembles a human arm, the same techniques can be employed to create a vein
simulator system
resembling another portion of the human body such as a full arm, a leg, a
torso, etc
[0041] Because simulated skin 150 may be opaque, it may resemble
human skin in that it
prevents a clinician from seeing the PIVC while inserting it into simulated
vein 141 or 142. Yet,
because simulated inner tissue 130 can be transparent, the clinician may still
rely on camera 121
to ensure that he or she is practicing the placement of the PIVC correctly.
After a clinician has
become confident that he or she can place a PIVC correctly, he or she may turn
of camera 121 or
otherwise avoid viewing the captured video to continue practicing. In this
way, vein simulator
system 100 can assist the clinician in quickly developing his or her skills
while not becoming
dependent on a video to perform proper PIVC placement.
[0042] All examples and conditional language recited herein are
intended for pedagogical
objects to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts
contributed by the
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inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without
limitation to such
specifically recited examples and conditions. Although embodiments of the
present inventions
have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various
changes, substitutions, and
alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope
of the invention.
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