Difficulty in locating veins in the extremities for IV access in neonates and infants is an ongoing problem. Some pediatric statistics are detailed below for the success rates if inserting peripheral IV catheters:
As you can see, some children require four to more attempts to successfully place an IV with stories existing of some patients being stuck over ten times for one IV placement. In addition, the need for multiple IV sites over the patients’ stay at the hospital just multiplies the number of needle sticks the patient must endure. A convenient, simple to use and reliable device to help minimize the number of needle sticks would be very well received by the clinicians. Many such devices already exist in the marketplace but none of them has the full breadth of characteristics to make the device a ‘standard of care’ for gaining access to the peripheral veins of the pediatric patients. Because of this most clinicians abandon the use of them and return to the traditional, non-assisted method for locating and accessing the vessels. The traditional approach frequently causes additional needle sticks, pain and discomfort and the increased risk of infection. Some clinicians would like to make vessel locating with such a device a standard practice for each IV placement provided it can demonstrate a reduction in needle stick events required. We Can Do Better…
DesignWise Medical’s response…