Patent ID: 8617079
Filing Date: 2013-12-31
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
1. A medical needle comprising a needle shaft that defines a longitudinal axis, a tip formed at one end of the needle shaft, and an ultrasonic reflector formed in an outer surface of the needle shaft, the reflector comprising: a first reflector surface that is formed in the outer surface of the needle shaft at an angle of no more than 35° to the longitudinal axis of the needle shaft and that faces towards the tip of the needle, and at least one additional reflector surface formed in the outer surface of the needle shaft that forms an angle to the first reflector surface within the range of 75° to 105°, and that is substantially concave in a direction towards the first reflector surface, whereby ultrasound waves emitted by an ultrasound transducer can be reflected by the reflector back to the transducer as the needle is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the needle through a range of angles, and wherein the range of angles is approximately −60° to +60°, where 0° corresponds with a rotational position in which a plane of ultrasound waves emitted by the transducer is co-incident with a plane of symmetry of the reflector.