IP Requirement: Emory IP

Experience Requirement:

– Mechanical Design

– Rapid Prototyping

Peripheral venous catheters are ubiquitous in health care for the infusion of various medications as well as contrast agents for imaging studies. A major complication of intravenous catheter insertion is extravasation of contrast agents and drugs into surrounding tissues. Depending on the injected drug or contrast agent, tissue extravasation may have consequences including local tissue ischemia, necrosis, sensory loss, and ulceration as well as potentially compartment syndrome if deemed extensive. The incidence of IV fluid extravasation varies in neonates, children, and adults, where children have higher rates due to increased microvascular permeability and smaller, more fragile veins. However, extravasation remains an issue in all age groups. A growing concern in the critical care population is the administration of vasoactive agents through peripheral intravenous catheters for faster treatment and management of patients in shock. The incidence of fluid extravasation in patients receiving vasoactive agents through a peripheral IV ranges from approximately 2-4.5%. This is not negligible, and efforts to reduce tissue injury from extravasation are necessary before more definitive central venous access can be secured. 

Current available technology includes but is not limited to measures for detecting temperature differences between fluid and tissue, flow rates between fluid and tissue, and pressure differences between fluid and tissue. Many of the current technologies require integration with current IV catheter devices to facilitate detection, and no technology so far has proven superior. 

The researcher has proposed an integrated intravenous catheter device with technology to identify early extravasation events in patients. This technology could incorporate multiple current technologies to facilitate more accurate detection of extravasation. Ideally, the catheter would be able communicate with IV pump systems to effectively halt IV infusions at the earliest signs of extravasation. The investigators will work with the supervising physician and may collaborate with nursing staff to gain insight into current commercial IV catheters and designs. An intravenous catheter with integrated extravasation technology would provide a safer alternative to current, commercial IV catheters used in critical care and emergency department settings. Such an intervention could dramatically effect rates of adverse events and may overall decrease health care costs associated with management of tissue injury from extravasation.