AxoTrack – The Virtual Needle

Soma Access Systems LLC – the company behind “AxoTrack” a virtual needle system is the brainchild of Dr. Stephen F. Ridley, an emergency-room doctor who realized that there must be a more accurate way to insert a needle using ultrasound assistance. His invention recently received FDA clearance for a new transducer featuring AxoTrack needle visualization technology.
–

According to Soma “AxoTrack allows practitioners to see the virtual needle and the entire operative field throughout a procedure. Before starting the procedure, the anatomic target is visualized and aligned with a target line, establishing a clear, safe needle path to the intended target. In real time, the practitioner is able to observe the progress of the needle as it moves along an unobstructed trajectory to the target. This ability allows to 1) plan the course, 2) plot the trajectory, and 3) clearly see the needle position gives practitioners unprecedented clarity and control”.
–

AxoTrack is intended to help improve the success rate of different types of ultrasound-guided procedures such as central line placements for example. According to Soma the use of AxoTrack should result in potentially fewer procedural complications such as transfixation or “backwalling” the vessel, arterial puncture and laceration, hematomas, pneumothoraces, and nerve injury. These improvements along with decreased procedure times and reduced training times of the medical stuff should result in improved patient care and significant cost savings to the healthcare system in general.
–

Soma explain that the AxoTrack ultrasound probe has an integral needle guide and built-in needle position sensors.

via The Future of Things – Iddo Genuth