Scottish Health Innovations Ltd

Ultrasound Probe
Ultrasound ProbeCentral neuraxial anaesthesia represents the ‘gold standard’ for all patients requiring operative, assisted delivery or analgesia and provides an alternative to a high risk general anaesthetic during child birth. The Ultrasound Probe, a needle guidance system that uses ultrasound to image the spine has been developed to aid in the administration of Central neuraxial anaesthesia The key innovations of this project are continuous visualisation of the needle and target (needle parallel to wave front technology) in a wave guide.

Market Opportunity
The prevalence of obesity in the UK is increasing; 23% of all adult females in England are now defined as clinically obese. The increased depth of fatty tissue overlying the lumbar spine in obese patients increases the difficulty of feeling for spinal landmarks to guide insertion of epidural or spinal (central neuraxial) anaesthesia.

Clinical Benefit
Clinical studies have shown that feeling for spinal landmarks to guide insertion of central neuraxial anaesthesia has limitations and imaging of the lumbar spine has been shown to result in increased accuracy. This has driven the development of the Ultrasound Probe, a needle guidance system that uses ultrasound to image the spine. The key innovations of this project are continuous visualisation of the needle and target (needle parallel to wave front technology) in a wave guide.
It is believed that by utilising this technology adverse events resulting from delayed provision and multiple attempts of neuraxial anaesthesia, and trauma to the spinal cord due to inaccurate positioning will be reduced leading to improved patient care.

Summary of technology:
  • continuous visualisation of the needle and target (needle parallel to wave front technology) in a wave guide
  • Reducing risk to obese patients by allowing a safer method of anaesthesia to be used during child birth (central neuraxial anaesthesia compared to general anaesthetic)
  • Reducing the time to insertion of central neuraxial anaesthesia allowing rapid and safe operative delivery of the baby reducing the risks of an adverse maternal or neonatal outcome
It is envisaged that the Probe will be a class one device. Protoytpes have been manufactured and SHIL is currently offering commercial opportunities to companies with an existing imaging portfolio to take the product to market.

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