INTRODUCER NEEDLE FOR CONTINUOUS PERINEURAL CATHETER PLACEMENT

Market: In 2006, it was estimated that the disposable medical needles market in the U.S. was $1.4 billion and growing. Of that market, approximately $230 million was for catheter introducers.

Current Problems: For most nerves in the body, current introducer needles do not position the catheter in close enough alignment with the targeted nerve. It is ideal for the catheter extending beyond the introducer needle to be in substantially parallel alignment with the nerve which a physician desires to treat by injection of drugs. The closer the catheter is aligned with the nerve the greater the efficiency of drug delivery through the catheter, and the less chance of patient toxicity poisoning resulting from the dispersion of drugs to nerves that are not intended to be treated. Current introducer needles only allow a catheter to be displaced at an angle of either zero degrees or ninety degrees, which is greatly inappropriate in view of the geometric relationship between the tip of the introducer needle and the position of various nerves within the body of a patient. Very few nerves within a patient’s body are displaced parallel or perpendicular to the surface of the body

The Technology: Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHSC-H) have patented an improved catheter introducer needle allowing for continuous perineural placement of a catheter into the body. The novel design utilizes a deflection angle to allow for accurate placement of the catheter, resulting in more effective delivery of pharmacological agents, such as local anesthetics, to nerves in various regions of the body, including the neck, arms, shoulders, back, thigh, and legs. Such an increased efficiency of drug delivery to a nerve results in the reduction of the volume of drugs which must be delivered, and the reduction of patient toxicity poisoning probability.

 

NON-CONFIDENTIAL TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION

The preceding is intended to be a non-confidential summary of a novel technology created at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

UTHSCH Ref. No. 2000-0019

Inventors: Dr. J. Chelly

Patent Status: United States Issued Patent No. 6,485,475; November 26, 2002

License Available: world-wide; exclusive or non-exclusive

 

To obtain further information about this technology, please contact:
Office of Technology Management, 7000 Fannin, Suite 720, Houston, TX 77030
Phone: (713) 500-3369  Fax: (713) 500-0331
Email: uthsch-otm@uth.tmc.edu