Compact-ultrasound developer SonoSite of Bothell, WA, has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its LumenVu catheter guidance system.
LumenVu is designed to aid in the placement of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). It combines near-infrared technology with a fiber-optic stylet that replaces a traditional guidewire to allow visualization and real-time tracking of a catheter tip as it advances through a vein.
Some 2.5 million PICC line placements were performed in the U.S. in 2008, making it one of the most rapidly growing applications performed in the hospital setting, according to SonoSite. Although it's a common procedure, PICC placements do pose risks and potential complications; LumenVu could mitigate these risks by providing clinicians with the ability to visualize the catheter tip as it travels through the vessel.
Healthcare professionals in hospitals or long-term care facilities will be able to track the progression of a catheter with greater confidence and quickly make navigational adjustments, if necessary, according to the company.
SonoSite sees LumenVu eventually advancing beyond PICC line placements and into a broader range of clinical applications.
Related Reading
SonoSite, UCI ink education deal, August 12, 2010
SonoSite CFO Schuh to retire, August 11, 2010
SonoSite posts revenue, earnings gains, July 27, 2010
SonoSite launches needle tracking tool, July 14, 2010
SonoSite wraps up VisualSonics deal, July 1, 2010
Copyright © 2010 AuntMinnie.com
