Patent ID: 6796993
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A method of facilitating insertion of a needle into a desired vein in a limb of a human subject for intravenous fluid administration or extraction employing an inflatable pressure cuff, a pump connected to said cuff for inflating said cuff, an indicator for indicating a value corresponding to a pressure within said cuff, a valve for selectively reducing the pressure in said cuff, said method comprising:(a) securing said pressure cuff around the limb containing the desired vein in which the needle is to be inserted; (b) inflating said pressure cuff above a systolic pressure of the subject; (c) reducing said pressure within said cuff via said valve; (d) suspending further reducing of the pressure within said cuff via said valve when said indicator indicates pulses corresponding to cardiac contraction of the subject, whereby the desired vein is in a condition to facilitate needle insertion; and (e) inserting the needle into the desired vein.