AccuVein AV300 makes IV possible even in the dark

AccuVein applies advanced technologies to important healthcare challenges. AccuVein AV300 is the world’s first hand-held, non-contact vein illumination device that helps healthcare professionals locate hard-to-find veins. IV starts and blood draws (venipuncture) can be a source of patient anxiety and discomfort, and accessing veins in difficult patients can take up to 10 minutes and require multiple needle sticks. The AV300 can help reduce the need for multiple needle sticks, with the goal of improving patient care and the time to access veins.Hemoglobin in the blood absorbs infrared light. When the AccuVein AV300 is held about 25cm above the skin, veins appear noticeably different than the surrounding tissue. The vasculature shows up clearly on the skin’s surface, aiding in vein location to collect a blood sample or administer IV medications.

“In fast-paced environments like the ER or in ambulances, reducing the time to access veins and ensuring other tests are conducted and medication is provided quickly is paramount to improving patient care outcomes,” said Dr. Diane Sixsmith, Chairman of New York Hospital Queens. “In some cases, establishing IV access may involve multiple attempts, which can increase the risk of IV site complications.”

The AccuVein AV300 can help to advance patient care in a variety of settings by assisting healthcare professionals in locating the vein quickly for blood draws, intravenous lines and delivery of medications. Detecting and highlighting hemoglobin, the AV300 scans up to 8mm below the skin’s surface to help locate peripheral veins normally used for venipuncture. The device projects a pattern of light on a patient’s skin revealing vein position to help the healthcare professional locate veins for access.

“The AV300 enables healthcare professionals to see a vein map on the skin, which represents an exciting medical innovation striving to improve the time, comfort and cost of care,” said Stephen P. Conlon, President of AccuVein.” “Furthermore, we’ve found that patients respond positively when they can see a display of their veins for these procedures, so we expect that the AV300 will contribute to increased patient satisfaction – a priority in the healthcare community.”

Weighing only 280g, the AV300 uses point-and-click technology – the healthcare professional simply presses a button and positions the device above the patient’s skin to display a map on the skin of underlying veins. With a range of hands-free options, the AV300 can quickly switch between a hand-held and hands-free mode, freeing the practitioner’s hands to perform the venipuncture.

Unlike their competitor VeinViewer from Luminetx, it is more likely to be used on the field. It can be used as a hands-free device indoors or be hand-held on the filed. Because the AV300 has been designed to be a non-contact device, it may not have to be sterilized after every use. It works in light or dark so it’s very practical on the field even when it’s dark. The AV300 doesn’t need to be plugged into an electrical outlet and is designed to take the wear and tear of hospital and field applications. We hope it will become an integrated feature of future medical devices.

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