With 2.5 million applications annually, the implanting of PICC lines are among the most common procedures in U.S. hospitals, but a recent study found that about 30% fail on the first attempt.
Newly cleared by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the LumenVu Catheter Guidance System from SonoSite, Inc. should up the odds that a PICC line is placed properly the first time.
The LumenVu combines near-infrared technology with a fiber optic stylet, replacing the traditional guide wire, to allow visualization and real-time tracking of a catheter tip as it advances through the vein.
The system is compatible with standard catheter supplies and is designed to allow clinicians to seamlessly integrate the product into their current PICC line process. Perhaps most important, the LumenVu does not rely on a magnetic field for its operation, so it will not interfere with medical equipment or implanted devices, such as pacemakers.
(Source: Press Release)
