Anesthetic syringe with a nerve detector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018310954-A1
Application number	US-201715497869-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 26, 2017
Priority date	Apr 26, 2017
Publication date	Nov 1, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An anesthetic syringe comprising a nerve detector and an illuminated indicator. The nerve detector is configured to receive a radiative energy from a nerve in a tissue and send a signal to the illuminated indicator. The illuminated indicator shows a direction to move the syringe to a tissue location proximal to the nerve for injecting a local anesthetic drug. The syringe may accommodate a standard drug cartridge and may provide manual or automatic movement of a plunger.

First claim

1 : An anesthetic syringe comprising:
a hollow syringe barrel with a needle mount extending outwards from a first end of the barrel; a plunger extending from a second end of the barrel and slidably moveable within the barrel, the plunger having a piston-engaging tip extending into the barrel; an illuminated indicator attached to an exterior part of the barrel; a nerve detector attached to the illuminated indicator or to a second exterior part of the barrel; and wherein the illuminated indicator is electrically connected to the nerve detector and is configured to receive a signal from the nerve detector and indicate at least one direction to move the anesthetic syringe to deliver an anesthetic injection proximal to a nerve.

2 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 further comprising a spectrometer attached to a side of the barrel, wherein the spectrometer is configured to detect blood in an aspirate.

3 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 2 further comprising a second illuminated indicator on an exterior side of the barrel and electrically connected to the spectrometer to indicate if blood has been detected during aspiration.

4 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 wherein the nerve detector is attached to the illuminated indicator.

5 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 further comprising a transmitter configured to emit a radiative energy onto the nerve.

6 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 5 wherein the transmitter is attached to the illuminated indicator.

7 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 which does not have a transmitter.

8 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 wherein the illuminated indicator is slidably and/or pivotally attached to the barrel.

9 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 wherein the nerve detector comprises at least one focusing lens.

10 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 wherein the nerve detector comprises two or more photodetectors.

11 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 wherein the nerve detector comprises at least one rotatable and/or pivotable reflector configured to direct an incoming radiative energy.

12 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 11 wherein the nerve detector further comprises an adjustable pinhole.

13 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 wherein the nerve detector comprises a Nipkow disk rotatably attached to and encircling the syringe barrel, the Nipkow disk having a plurality of pinholes, the pinholes configured to direct rays of an incoming radiative energy to at least one photodetector.

14 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 1 wherein the illuminated indicator comprises a first display panel mounted to an arm attached to the barrel.

15 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 14 , wherein the first display panel comprises at least 625 LEDs.

16 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 14 wherein the arm is removably attached to the barrel.

17 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 14 wherein the first display panel is positioned outwards from the first end of the barrel and shaped to accommodate a needle attached and extending outwards from the needle mount.

18 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 14 wherein the illuminated indicator further comprises a second display pastel mounted to a second arm attached to the barrel.

19 : The anesthetic syringe of claim 18 wherein the first display panel and the second display panel are positioned outwards from the first end of the barrel and are shaped to accommodate a needle attached and extending outwards from the needle mount.

20 : A method of administering a nerve block to a nerve in a patient with the anesthetic syringe of claim 1 , the method comprising:
receiving a radiative energy from a nerve by the nerve detector; indicating a direction to move the anesthetic syringe to a location of a tissue proximal to the nerve by the illuminated indicator; moving the syringe to the location of the tissue proximal to the nerve; and inserting a needle mounted onto the needle mount of the anesthetic syringe into the location of the tissue proximal to the nerve, wherein the anesthetic syringe is loaded with a drug cartridge comprising an anesthetic drug; and performing an anesthetic injection of the anesthetic drug.

Assignees

• Univ Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal

Inventors

• Almoumen Saud Abdullah

Classifications

• A61M2205/3327

  Measuring · CPC title

• A61M2202/048

  Anaesthetics · CPC title

• A61B17/3403 Primary

  Needle locating or guiding means · CPC title

• A61M2205/3331

  Pressure; Flow · CPC title

• A61B5/4893

  Nerves · CPC title