During a blood test, medical personnel may face certain problems. Indeed, the patient's veins may be fragile and/or difficult to access. Researchers based in the United States have developed a robot capable of finding veins with precision.
This prototype robot was developed by a team of researchers from Rutgers University in collaboration with Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. According to a publication in the journal Technology from February 5, 2020, the device takes precise blood samples . This is to avoid problems related to fragile or difficult to access veins. Indeed, the multiple insertions of needles in search of a vein can be very painful.
The principle of operation of the robot is very simple. Indeed, the latter is equipped with an ultrasound device allowing him to easily find the veins. The device then takes the sample. In addition, the machine saves valuable time in the context of analyses. This is indeed able to separate blood components by means of a centrifuge.
If the prototype concerns only blood samples at the level of the forearm, the first tests seem to have been conclusive. The overall success rate is 87% on average concerning the 31 volunteers whose blood was collected. If we consider only the volunteers whose veins were easily accessible, this same rate climbs to 97%.
According to the main leader of this research, Josh Leipheimer, the device allows blood samples to be taken reliably and safely. Moreover, in addition to avoiding possible inconvenience to patients, it is also a question of significant savings. According to the study, the robot could save no less than 4 billion dollars a year in the USA. This loss is related to the waste of material and the loss of time at the level of the medical personnel.
The project leaders believe that their innovation may not stop at blood sampling. According to them, the robot could be used in the setting up of peripheral venous catheters . This is a type of device used to administer intravenous treatment or to purify the blood of patients with kidney failure (dialysis).
In 2015, there was already talk of a robot capable of taking blood samples. It was the VenousPro, designed by the company Vasculogic. Besides a 98% success rate, the device also applied an ultrasound anesthetic patch in order to limit the pain.
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