GB2431110A

GB2431110A - A hypodermic needle guide

Info

Publication number: GB2431110A
Application number: GB0520954A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Jarvis
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-10-14
Filing date: 2005-10-14
Publication date: 2007-04-18
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-14
Also published as: GB2431110B; GB0520954D0

Abstract

A hypodermic needle guide 1 comprises a base 2 with two or more spaced apart needle locating means 3 and patient attachment means 4. The needle locating means may be bores 3 formed into a body of the base 2. There may be ten bores 3 and the bores are elongate so that the needle exits each bore 3 at the same angle. The base 2 may be formed from a material that is not cut by a hypodermic needle such as stainless steel or it may be formed with sleeves 13 that are not cut by a needle and the base 2 may be formed of plastic. The patient attachment means 4 may carry an adhesive.

Description

2431j1 Hypodermic Needle Guide This invention relates to a hypodermic

needle guide, for use particularly, but not exclusively, when injecting the spinal canal.

A hypodermic needle may need to be placed in a patient's spinal canal for several reasons, including to inject anaesthetic or to make a lumbar puncture to drain spinal fluid. To be placed in a patient's spinal canal, a hypodermic needle must be slotted through a gap between the vertebra of a patient's spine, which is referred to herein as an inter vertebral space. However, this is an unsighted procedure and there is little or no indication from the surface where these inter vertebral spaces are located. Therefore, an anaesthetist or doctor must use a certain amount of guess work to find the right spot, and success is often the result of a process of elimination.

Therefore, it may take several attempts to locate an inter vertebral space by repeatedly inserting the needle into the patent's lower back. It has been known to take up to 45 minutes and a considerable number of insertions. Not only is this painful and traumatic for the patient, but the delay also increases the duration of surgery or treatment, which adds to the risk and cost.

The present invention is intended to overcome some of the above problems.

Therefore, according to the present invention a hypodermic needle guide comprises a base provided with two or more spaced apart needle locating means, and patient attachment means.

Thus, the guide can be affixed to the patient, and a hypodermic needle can be inserted into the patient according to a first of the needle locating means, then if a further insertion is required, the needle can be inserted according to a second or more of the needle locating means until the needle is inserted in the correct position.

With this arrangement the practitioner will not insert the needle in the same place twice, and can insert the needle over a given area methodically, until they are successful.

It will be appreciated that the needle locating means can be anything which can determine the position of a needle insertion. These could be something as simple as indications on the base, for example spots or lines. Therefore, the invention includes a strip of adhesive tape with two or more spaced apart marks, through which, or adjacent which, the needle can be inserted.

However, preferably the needle is inserted into the patient at the same angle each time. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment the base can be a body with a height, and the needle locating means can comprise elongate bores formed through said body, such that the needle exits each bore at substantially the same ang!e Preferably three or more bores can be provided, and said bores can be arranged along an axis. In a preferred construction ten bores are provided. With this arrangement a practitioner can position the base along the appropriate axis on the body where the needle must be inserted, then start at one end and move along the bores until the needle is inserted into the correct position.

The base can be a cuboid shape with a front surface and a rear surface, and the bores can extend from the rear surface to the front surface. The front surface can be applied to the patient.

The base can also have a top and a bottom surface which are arranged with the top uppermost in use, and the bores can be formed at a 10 degree upward angle from the rear surface to the front surface, as this is the correct angle for insertion into the spine.

In some circumstances a needle must remain in a patient for some time, and the presence of the guide could be a hindrance. Therefore, the base can be provided with means to allow it to be removed without the need for the needle to be removed from the patient.

Therefore, in one embodiment the cuboid can comprise a first portion and a second portion which can be divided along said axis, and the first portion and the second portion can be separated in use. Thus, the guide can be split apart and removed without the need to remove the needle from the patient.

The first portion and the second portion can be joined together by means of a hinge provided along one surface of the body, such that they can be separated in the manner of a book and removed from the needle in situ.

The first portion and the second portion can be further joined together in use by releasable attachment means adapted to prevent the first portion and the second portion rotating in relation to one another about the hinge in use. The releasable attachment means can be an adhesive, or some kind of latch means at the surface opposite to that where the two portions are hinged together.

Preferably, this invention can be used to assist an anaesthetist or doctor in inserting a needle into the spinal column through the vertebrae of the spine. Inter vertebral spaces are typically less than one inch (2. 55cm) apart, and therefore the ten bores can be spread over a distance of at least one inch (2.55cm). Thus, at least one bore should be positioned over an inter vertebral space in use.

However, such an arrangement may not be suitable for all patients, and therefore in a preferred construction the bores can be 4mm apart, It is important that a needle passing through a bore is not contaminated in use by the material of the base, and in particular by any shavings cut from the surface therefrom. Therefore, in a preferred construction the base can be constructed from a material which cannot be cut into by a hypodermic needle, for example stainless steel.

In a further embodiment the base can be constructed from a plastics material, and the bores can be provided with sleeves constructed from stainless steel. The sleeves can be formed from two separate sides so they can be split along with the first portion and second portion in use.

The patient attachment means can comprise an adhesive, which could for example be provided on the front surface.

However, in a preferred construction the patient attachment means can comprise one or more flanges which can extend laterally from the front surface, and these flanges can carry an adhesive.

Preferably two flanges can be provided, which extend from opposite sides of the front surface. The flanges can be constructed from any suitable flexible material which can adopt a shape suitable for adherence to the patient. Preferably the flanges are constructed from a flexible plastics material.

The invention can be performed in various ways, but one embodiment will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top view of a hypodermic needle guide according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the hypodermic needle guide as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top view of the hypodermic needle guide as shown in Figure 1 in an in-use arrangement; Figure 4 is a top view of a second hypodermic needle guide according to the present invention, in an in-use arrangement; Figure 5 is a top view of a second hypodermic needle guide according to the present invention; and, Figure 6 is a top view of the hypodermic needle guide as shown in Figure 5 in an in-use arrangement.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2 a hypodermic needle guide 1 comprises a base, in the form of rectangular cuboid 2, provided with two or more spaced apart needle locating means, in the form of bores 3 formed through the base 2, and patient attachment means, in the form of adhesives flanges 4. (The bores 3 are shown in hashed lines in Figure 2 as they would not be visible from the side.) As is clear from the Figures, the base 2 is a rectangular cuboid shape, and it has a front surface 5, and a rear surface 6, and the bores 3 extend from the rear surface 6 to the front surface 5. There are ten bores 3, and they are arranged in line along an axis 7. The bores 3 are spaced 4mm apart.

The base 2 also has a top surface 8 and a bottom surface 9, and as is clear from Figure 2, the bores 3 are arranged at a 10 degree angle and extend upwards from the rear surface 6 to the front surface 5.

The base 2 comprises a first portion 10 and a second portion 11 which are divided along the axis 7, and the first portion 10 and the second portion 11 can be separated in use.

The first portion 10 and the second portion 11 are joined together at the front surface 5 by a thin strip of material (not visible) which acts as a hinge. The first portion 10 and the second portion 11 are also joined together by an adhesive (not visible) which prevents them separating and rotating about the hinge in use, until such time as that is desired.

As is clear from Figure 1, there are two adhesive flanges 4, and they extend laterally from the front surface 5. Each flange carries an adhesive layer 12. A protective layer (not shown) is provided which covers the adhesive layer 12 until such time as the guide 1 is used.

Each bore 3 has a sleeve 13 formed therein, which is constructed from stainless steel. Each sleeve 13 is formed from two halves 14 and 15, the first half 14 being connected to the first portion 10, and the second half 15 being connected to the second portion.

The base 2 is constructed from a plastics material.

The guide I is intended for use in assisting a medical practitioner in inserting a hypodermic needle into the spinal canal through an inter vertebral space. Therefore in use the front surface 5 of the guide 1 is placed against a patient's lower back (not shown), with the axis 7 in line with the vertical axis of the spine.

The protective layers (not shown) are removed from the flanges 4, and the flanges 4 are attached to the patient's back by means of the adhesive 12, such that the base 2 is held in position.

The practitioner then inserts the hypodermic needle into the bores 3 one by one until the needle passes successfully though an inter vertebral space and into the spinal canal. Therefore, the practitioner will not insert the needle in the same place twice, and can insert the needle over a given area methodically, until they are successful.

As stated above, inter vertebral spaces are usually less than one inch (2.55cm) apart, and therefore at least one, and maybe more, of the bores 3 should be positioned over an inter vertebral space in use.

The ideal angle of insertion to pass through an inter vertebral space is an upward 10 degree angle. As the bores 3 are arranged at this angle the needle is arranged at the ideal angle for insertion. This is a further advantage of this invention as the practitioner need not be concerned with gauging the entry angle of the needle.

In addition, as the bores are all arranged at the same 10 degree angle the needle will enter the patient's back at substantially the same angle each time. This prevents the needle entering the patient at a variety of angles, which might lead to it missing an inter vertebral space.

Further, as the sleeves 13 are constructed from stainless steel the needle will not be contaminated by any material shaved from the side of the bores 3 in use.

In some instances the needle may need to be left in position in the patient. If so, the guide means I may be a hindrance and may serve to dislodge the needle.

Therefore, the guide I is provided with means to be removed from the patient without the need to remove the needle.

If the guide I needs to be removed, the practitioner can force the first portion and the second portion 11 apart, breaking the bond of the adhesive between them, such that they hinge about the thin strip or material which binds them together at the front surface 5, as shown in Figure 3. By doing this, the thin strip of material is weakened, and it is possible to readily completely separate the first portion 10 and the second portion 11. Once this is achieved, the two portions 10 and 11 can be removed from the patient by removing the associated flange 4.

It will be appreciated that the two parts 14 and 15 of the sleeves 13 separate when the first portion 10 and the second portion 11 are separated in use.

The embodiment described above can be altered without departing from the scope of Claim 1. In particular, the manner in which the first portion and the second portion of the base are separable can be different.

Figure 4 shows a second hypodermic needle guide 40, which operates in a similar manner to guide I described above, except that the manner in which the first portion 41 and the second portion 42 are joined together is different. A thin strip of material 43 connects the first portion 41 and the second portion 42 along the bottom surface 45 of the base 44.

With this arrangement, when the guide means needs to be removed without disturbing the needle, firstly the flanges 45 are removed from the patient's skin. Then the first portion 41 and the second portion 42 are forced apart, breaking the bond of an adhesive between them, such that they hinge about the thin strip of material 43 as shown in Figure 4. The guide 40 can then be easily removed from the needle.

Thus, the first portion 41 and the second portion 42 do not need to be completely separated to remove the guide from its position. This kind of arrangement can be used if the guide 40 were reusable.

Another alternative embodiment is shown in Figures 5 and 6. In these Figures hypodermic needle guide 50 is similar in construction and usage as guide 1 described above, except that the base 51 is constructed entirely from stainless steel.

Thus, there is no need for any sleeves in the bores 52.

In addition, in other alternative embodiments (not shown) the first portion and the second portion are merely connected by way of an adhesive bond which can be broken in use, or are provided with a latch or the like on the surface opposite the hinge, which latch can be disengaged to allow the two portions to be pulled apart.

In another alternative embodiment (not shown) the guide can be the same as guide 1, except that it is formed of one piece which does not separate into two. This version can be used when the needle would not be left in the patient.

In another alternative embodiment (not shown) the bores can be arranged at O degrees to the surfaces of the base. Such an arrangement can be used to assist in the insertion of a hypodermic needle into other parts of a patient where a 0 degree angle of entry is required.

Further, in one other alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown) the base can comprise a strip of material affixed to a patient in use, which is provided with needle locating means in the form of indicia.

Thus, a hypodermic needle guide is provided which ensures that an anaesthetist or doctor can insert a needle into the spinal canal quickly and easily and with a minimum of delay.

Claims

Claims 1. A hypodermic needle guide comprising a base provided with two or

more spaced apart needle locating means, and patient attachment means.
2. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 1 in which the base comprises a body and the needle locating means comprise bores formed into said body.
3. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 2 in which three or more bores are provided, and in which said bores are arranged along an axis.
4. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 3 in which ten bores are provided.
5. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 3 or 4 in which the bores are elongate, such that the needle exits each bore at substantially the same angle to said axis.
6. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 5 in which the base comprises a cuboid with a front surface and a rear surface, in which the bores extend from the rear surface to the front surface and in which in use the front surface is applied to the patient.
7. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 6 in which the base comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, in which the top surface is uppermost in use, and in which the bores extend upwards from the rear surface to the front surface at a degree angle.
8. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 7 in which said cuboid comprises a first portion and a second portion which are divided along said axis, and in which the first portion and the second portion can be separated in use.
9. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 8 in which the first portion and the second portion are joined together by means of a hinge provided along one surface of the body.
10. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 9 in which the first portion and the second portion are further joined together in use by releasable attachment means adapted to prevent the first portion and the second portion rotating in relation to one another about the hinge in use.
11. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 10 in which the ten bores are spread over a distance of at least one inch (2.55 cm).
12. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 11 in which the bores are 4mm apart.
13. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in any of the previous Claims in which the base is constructed from a material which cannot be cut into by a hypodermic needle.
14. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 11 in which the base is constructed from stainless steel.
15. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in any of Claims I to 12 in which each bore is provided with a sleeve constructed from a material which cannot be cut into by a hypodermic needle.
16. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 15 in which the sleeves are constructed from stainless steel.
17. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 15 or 16 in which the sleeves comprise a first half and a second half, which are split along with the first portion and second portion in use.
18. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 17 in which the base is constructed from a plastics material.
19. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in any of the previous Claims in which the patient attachment means comprises an adhesive.
20. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in any of Claims 6 to 18 in which the patient attachment means comprises one or more flanges which extend laterally from the front surface, which flanges carry an adhesive.
21. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 20 in which two flanges are provided which extend from opposite sides of the front surface.
22. A hypodermic needle guide as claimed in Claim 21 in which the flanges are constructed from a flexible plastics material.
23. A hypodermic needle guide substantially as described herein and as shown in the accompanying drawings.