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Venoscope® II & Neonatal Transilluminators
Venoscope® II
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 The Venoscope®
II transilluminator, The
Vein Finder™, allows a clinician to easily locate hard to
find veins, making it faster and more efficient for health care
providers and clinicians to deliver a higher level of quality
care. Fewer sticks means less time that a clinician needs to spend
with each patient, reduces the waste of materials such as needles,
syringes, PICC and midline trays, and makes the procedure safer
and more comfortable for the patient.
Although in most cases a clinician can easily identify and access
the veins of their patient's, there are those patients with hard
to find veins, such as the obese, elderly and patients with dark
skin. Data collected in hospital settings show that as a result of
patients with hard to find veins, multiple
sticks occur on twenty-five (25%) percent of patients. By
using the Venoscope®
II, a clinician can reduce multiple sticks and increase the
first stick success rate toward the 100% mark.
The use of the Venoscope®
II is a non-invasive procedure, and is done by placing the Venoscope®
II on the surface of the skin of a patient in such a way
that the high intensity light of Venoscope®
II is projected into the subcutaneous tissue of a patient.
The light causes the veins of a patient to contrast with the
surrounding tissue, thereby making it easier to locate veins
suitable for IV therapy and blood draws.
Features:
- High Intensity, Dual Wavelength, LED Light Source
- Three Position Rocker Switch (High - Off - Low)
- Low Battery Indication Light
- Uses 3 AA Alkaline Batteries
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Venoscope
II Usage Instructions (PDF)
Venoscope
II Information Sheet (PDF)
Venoscope® II Usage Applications
Detecting
IV Infiltrations using a Venoscope
Frequently Asked
Questions
Clinical
Studies
Testimonials
How
to buy
Venoscope
Disposables
Looking
for an Automatic Blood Pressure Monitor?
|
Venoscope® II Usage Applications
IV Therapy
Neonatal / Infant Care
Home Care
Emergency Care
Sclerotherapy
Ambulatory Phlebectomy
Haemophilia
IV Therapy
Forget blind, painful
IV sticks.
Visualize that vein like you've never seen it before.
You will be surprised, amazed and delighted at the performance of the Venoscope®
II. You will not believe your eyes when you first realize that
the dark line between the dual arms is the vein.
The Venoscope® II is
the most effective and versatile transilluminator for locating those
hard to find veins in IV therapy or blood draws. Make those difficult
needle sticks easier and faster for the clinician, and more comfortable
and safer for the patient. This small, battery-operated transilluminator
is easy to use, portable, and its lights are cool to the touch.
The Venoscope® II
utilizes a revolutionary breakthrough in LED technology. With the help
of the National Aeronautical and Space Administration, NASA, and its
Technology Transfer Program, we have developed a device that uses the
latest ultra bright LED (light emitting diode) technology to produce one
of the best handheld transilluminators on the market today.
The patented dual arms of the Venoscope®
II contain two white and one red LED. This particular combination
of lights, with different wavelengths, allows the light to penetrate
deeper into the subcutaneous tissue and to create the contrast necessary
so that the blood veins stand out as dark lines within the illuminated
orange tissue.
Neonatal / Infant
Care
No
one feels good about blowing an IV,
especially on small babies and children!
 Clinicians agree that the
most difficult patient for IV starts is the small neonatal patient.
Their veins are so small and fragile that it is difficult to locate
suitable veins in the extremities. Many times the only suitable site is
the scalp. The new Neonatal
Transilluminator is especially suitable for the neonatal patient.
It is small enough to fit within the isolette and it has no hard to
handle fiberoptic cords or stands to move around. The light emitted from
the Neonatal Transilluminator is
cool light so that it will not harm the babies. It is possible to
transilluminate the arms or feet by placing the light beneath the
extremity and noting the dark veins from the top.
Home
Care
"First
Stick Confidence!"
The Only Backup Plan
You'll Need.
Let's face it, no matter how skilled you are, there's been a time when
you've had difficulty finding a vein. Not only is it time consuming and
expensive to have to call for backup, it can also result in a distressed
patient and family members. With the help of the Venoscope®
II and its high-intensity LED lights you'll be sure to find the
vein the first time, guaranteeing patient satisfaction and comfort. It's
a reliable backup plan that's always within reach. And that's sure to
keep your patient at ease, make you more efficient and definitely more
welcome in their home.
"I highly recommend that every
homecare nurse have a new Venoscope®
II. It will give them that first stick confidence to tackle even
the most difficult patient. Best of all, the light is very affordable
for nurses to purchase for themselves. At $150.00 it costs less than a
good stethoscope and it will make your life easier."
Virginia Watson, RN
Homecare Nurse
Covington, LA
Emergency
Care
Need
a quick IV? Don't waste time - visualize the veins that you only thought
were there!
The Venoscope® was
invented by a paramedic in order to provide a fast, safe and efficient
method of starting IVs in the most difficult of situations. The
paramedic noted that when a bright light was placed on the surface of
the skin it was possible to see a faint outline of a peripheral vein. He
worked with the local university's technology assistance program to develop
a device with fiberoptic light guides and dual arms to bracket the vein.
Today, the new Venoscope® II
takes the technology a giant leap forward by using high intensity LED
lights in varying wavelengths to produce the brightest light possible
for transillumination.
This new NASA inspired technology has resulted in an extremely portable,
light weight device that is a must for every paramedic in the field. It
is invaluable in those dark of night emergencies where an IV is crucial
in saving a life. Auto accidents and other emergencies, where
availability of lighting is compromised or non-existent, are easily
handled with the Venoscope®
II. It can be used to locate peripheral veins for IV starts and
it can be used as a regular flashlight as needed.
The Venoscope® II
uses 3 AA alkaline batteries and it has an LED indicator which indicates
that the batteries need to be changed. The batteries will last for 12-14
hours when left on continuously. The LED lights are rated at more than
5,000 hours, so you will probably never burn it out.
Increasingly, paramedics are called on to start IVs in the home setting.
Difficult sticks on frail, obese, dark skinned individuals do not
present a problem when using the Venoscope®
II. It even works exceptionally well on neonates and children.
Sclerotherapy
"I have been using the Venoscope®,
Model VSK1001, for the past five years and it has proven to be
invaluable in imaging deep reticular veins, even beneath matted spider
veins, for sclerotherapy treatment. I also use it to mark veins
pre-operatively for ambulatory stab avulsion phlebectomy procedures, and
I occasionally use it intra-operatively. I have tested the new Venoscope®
II with its LED light array and find it to be even more effective
than the previous version. I consider the Venoscope®
II to be a "must have" device for every physician
practicing sclerotherapy or ambulatory phlebectomy. It makes the
procedures easier, quicker and more effective.
Thank you most kindly for the opportunity to test the new model and I
commend you for your contributions to improving the quality of care for
patients with venous disease."
James C. Ingram, Jr., MD, FACS
Director, Vein Centers of Louisiana
Lafayette, LA
"I’ve used the Venoscope®
for 18 months in my practice of phlebology. I couldn’t imagine
practicing without this ingenious device. Matting? Blushing? Good luck
treating these nuisances without a Venoscope®!
This handy light resides in my coat pocket. I can pull it out anytime to
unravel the feeding system of complex telangiectasia. I can map out many
complex systems without resorting to a duplex.
I am very excited about the new Venoscope®
II. During my test of the prototype, I found it to be much more
powerful without the need for dimming the lights. And the cost of the
unit, around $150, is incredibly inexpensive for any tool that will
prove to be used not daily but, rather, hourly by anyone in the practice
of phlebology (not to mention its usefulness an IV technician or a paediatric
nurse on the hunt of the all-to-common elusive intravenous access).
Congratulations on a fine product that will be a "sell-out",
and please reserve three of them for me."
Sanford J. Greenberg, MD
Medical Director, The Vein Doctor
Palm Desert, CA
"I wanted to express my appreciation for the opportunity to use the
new Venoscope ® II as
it is the most user friendly transillumination device I have used to
date. The placement of the LED lights on the handpiece appears to be
optimal for excellent visualization of reticular and superficial
varicose veins on our patient’s legs and at other sites. This new
device appears to be a significant technological improvement for
convenient, easily portable transillumination of our patients’ veins
as it applies to injection compression sclerotherapy and ambulatory
phlebectomy.
Thank you for providing a greatly improved transilluminator."
Rick K. Wilson, M.D.
Member of American College of Phlebology
Plano Dermatology
"The Venoscope®
has become an indispensable tool in my phlebology practice. (I have two,
just in case one breaks down). I held on to the original version until
it pretty much fell apart. The Venoscope®
II entered my life just in time. It is surprisingly lightweight
and even more powerful than the original. It even serves as an effective
marketing tool. When patients clearly see the offending reticular vein
feeding their telangiectasias, their confidence level in me goes up. The
Venoscope® allows
almost 100% vein entry and allows accurate assessment of extent and
completeness of treatment. No other device comes close.
Dr. Wayne Gradman
Los Angeles, CA
Ambulatory
Phlebectomy
Transillumination
Mapping Prior to Ambulatory Phlebectomy
Robert A. Weiss, MD
Mitchel P. Goldman, MD
BACKGROUND.
Ambulatory phlebectomy (AP) for removal of varicose and reticular veins
has become a very popular and widely used in-office outpatient technique
over the past decade. One of the major obstacles of this or any other
surgical vein removal technique is the technical difficulty presented to
the surgeon by the disappearance of the veins to be removed when the
patient is positioned horizontally on an operative table. Preoperative
marking is therefore essential.
OBJECTIVE.
To investigate whether use of transillumination would facilitate and
enhance marking of varicose veins prior to AP, we performed a study in
which both traditional marking with the patient standing and
transillumination marking with the patient horizontal were performed
sequentially.
METHODS.
One hundred patients were sequentially examined prior to AP. The veins
to be removed were mapped by the traditional way utilizing visual
inspection and palpation in a standing position. They were then mapped
in the supine or prone position utilizing a transillumination device
specifically designed to enhance visualization of veins prior to
venipuncture.
RESULTS.
In 100 out of 100 patients the markings performed using
transillumination mapping most closely correlated with actual vein
position during surgery. In addition, transillumination allowed for
gauging of vein depth.
CONCLUSIONS.
Transillumination mapping significantly enhances the technique of
ambulatory phlebectomy by more accurately visualizing the course of a
varicose vein prior to extraction. Furthermore, sites for incisions or
punctures are more accurately guided. As a result of this experience, it
is now our routine practice to perform preoperative mapping for AP by
transillumination in the horizontal position.
1998 by the American Society for
Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Dermatol Surg 1998:24-447-450.
Los Angeles, CA
Haemophilia
Haemophilia
is a disease that knows no boundaries!
It affects infants and adults alike. Learning to perform IV injections
is a necessary and critical skill. The new Venoscope®
II can help. The new device allows the average person,
professional or not, to effectively locate and evaluate multiple IV
sites for future IV access. It will give the family the luxury of
mobility in travelling and recreation that they would normally be very
reluctant to pursue for fear of being unable to administer factor in
case of an emergency while away from home. Some factor providers have
taken the position that by providing a Venoscope®
II to their clients, they enhance the quality of life for the
whole family. At $175.00, that is a small price to pay for peace of mind
in knowing that you can access a vein in an emergency. Tell your factor
supplier that you would like to have the Venoscope®
II.
The Venoscope® II was
developed by a paramedic to aid in locating and evaluating peripheral
veins for IV therapy and blood draws. The basic idea is "if you can
see it, you can stick it". The new Venoscope®
II transilluminator does this by directing a very bright light
into the subcutaneous tissue so that it produces an orange glow when the
external room lights are dimmed. When the light passes over a vein, the
vein absorbs the light and the vein shows up as a dark line between the
dual arms of the light. You can verify that it is in fact a suitable
vein by depressing the arms and observing the vein collapse and refill
when you release the pressure. We call this blanching the vein. If it
does not blanch, it is not a suitable vein. It may even be a tendon
which you definitely do not want to stick. At this point, you may mark
the "target vein" and proceed with the stick or simply reverse
the light with the vein located between the arms and proceed with the
stick between the arms. You can ask someone to hold the light or simply
tape it to the site while you perform the stick.
Detecting IV
Infiltrations using a Venoscope®
Carolyn Baratta Yucha, RN, PhD, Paul Russ, MD, Sharon Baker, RN, MS
This research evaluates the Venoscope® for its
ability to detect infiltrations when present (sensitivity) and to detect
the absence of infiltrations when not present (specificity), and
compares these findings with those obtained via ultrasonography. Healthy
adult volunteers were randomly assigned to receive or not receive an
intentionally made 5-ml normal-saline infiltration. The Venoscope®
had a sensitivity of .92-.93 and a specificity of .89-1.0. Ultrasound
had a sensitivity of .92-.93 and a specificity of .22-.25. The Venoscope®,
which is simple and easy to use, is a valid indicator of the presence
and absence of IV infiltrations.
DISCUSSION
Under the conditions studied, the Venoscope® was able to
accurately detect the presence of an infiltration 92% of the time and to
accurately detect the absence of an infiltration 80-100% of the time.
These findings suggest that a valid use of the Venoscope®
is the detection of IV infiltrations. In this study, the Venoscope®
was able to detect infiltrations made with 5 ml of normal saline, 20
minutes postinfiltration. It is expected that the Venoscope®
would perform better when using it to examine an IV site in the process
of infiltrating or immediately after infiltration has occurred. Venoscope®
examination is simple, it requires approximately 10 seconds to complete,
and it can be performed readily at the bedside.
Although the ultrasound performed similarly with regard to detection of
IV infiltrations (sensitivity), it was not able to detect lack of
infiltration (specificity) as well as the Venoscope®.
Because of logistics involved in data collection, ultrasound examination
occurred approximately 40 minutes after infiltration/injection. Although
it may have performed better had the examinations occurred earlier, this
time change may have made no difference because diagnosis of
infiltration was based on position of the cannula in relation to the
vein, and this position was not expected to change over the time period
studied. More importantly perhaps, ultrasound examination requires
expensive equipment and extensive training; therefore, it is not
cost-effective as a tool to examine IV sites on a routine basis.
Although IV infiltrations occur frequently, most do not cause any
serious tissue damage. At the minimum, IV infiltrations cause patient
discomfort and require re-insertion of an IV cannula elsewhere, which
consumes nursing time and increases the cost of supplies. Alternatively,
solutions containing calcium, potassium, antibiotics, vasoconstrictors,
or chemotherapeutic agents are known to cause marked tissue damage.
Early detection of infiltrations of these solutions may prevent nerve
damage and/or tissue sloughing, which necessitates skin grafting and
potential litigation. Use of the Venoscope® in
routine hourly IV checks could allow the nurse to detect infiltrations
earlier, thereby minimizing the amount of solution extravasated and
subsequent tissue damage.
The RA using the Venoscope® to evaluate the IV sites
had been examining IV sites in hospitalized patients intermittently
during a 1-year period. It is unknown how much experience a nurse should
have with the Venoscope® to detect infiltrations with
the sensitivity and specificity reported here. In addition, this study
evaluated the performance of the Venoscope® in young
adults. Although its reliability and validity in infants, children, or
older adults is unknown, it is likely that it would be easier to detect
infiltrations in these subjects because they generally have less
subcutaneous tissue than young adults. Lastly, this study does not
evaluate the performance of the Venoscope® in ill
patients who have IVs. However, there is no reason to believe that its
performance would be altered in ill patients.
Carolyn B. Yucha, RN, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University
of Colorado Health Science Center School of Nursing in Denver, Colorado,
where she teaches Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology. Sharon Baker
is a Clinical Nurse Educator at University Hospital in Denver, Colorado.
Paul Russ is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology at
the University of Colorado Health Science Center in Denver, Colorado.
JOURNAL OF INTRAVENOUS NURSING
Vol. 20, No. 1 January/February 1997
Frequently Asked
Questions
- How does the light work?
- The new Venoscope® II transilluminator works by
directing a high intensity light down into the subcutaneous tissue
and creating a uniform area of orangish reflection of the fatty
tissue. The light is flush with the skin and by moving it around the
extremity you will be able to see a dark line between the two arms
when you come across a vein.. The dark line is the vein. The vein's
deoxygenated blood absorbs the light whereas the fatty tissue
reflects the light.
- How do I know that the dark line is a vein and not a tendon?
- After you have located the dark line you can easily tell if it is
a vein and also if it is soft and patent or sclerotic. All you have
to do is simply depress both arms of the light on either side of the
dark line. If the line disappears and then reappears when you
release the pressure, it is a vein that is capable of transmitting
fluids and medications. If the dark line does not
"blanch", disappear and reappear, it is not a vein and you
should not stick it. This could result in serious complications for
the patient and the practitioner.
- Is the Venoscope® II easy to use?
- The Venoscope® II is light, weighing less than
7 ounces, and it is extremely portable. You prep the patient,
tourniquet etc., and then dim the room lights in order for the light
to perform best. The room does not have to be pitch dark and you can
gradually increase the ambient lighting as you become more
comfortable with the presentation of the vein.
Once you have located and evaluated the vein, you can mark it with a
surgical marking pen or some other method of targeting the vein.
Then you can increase the ambient lighting and proceed as you would
normally to cannulate the vein. If you prefer, you can reverse the Venoscope®
II and attach it to the patient's arm with tape and proceed to
cannulate the target vein between the two arms with the light
attached.
- Why do I need it, I am very good at starting IVs?
- We have asked hundreds if not thousands of nurses if they felt
they would/could use the Venoscope®
transilluminator. Most stated that they in fact have had difficult
patients where the use of the Venoscope® would
have made life easier for them and their patients. The question then
becomes: Why not have a Venoscope® available for
those difficult sticks? If the Venoscope® can
reduce the number of sticks and improve the whole experience, why
not use it for the benefit of all concerned. Clearly, blind sticks
are seldom successful and can result in serious complications, even
legal proceedings. There is no reason not
to have one for your peace of mind in knowing that you have the
ability to improve your first stick IV success rate.
- Does the room have to be pitch dark?
- No it doesn’t but the darker the better especially when you are
learning how to use the light. As you become more familiar with the
depiction of the veins you will find that you can locate veins in
more lighted conditions.
- How do I clean the light?
- You can use alcohol or bleach solution but do not submerge the
light.
- What are the Disposable Protective Covers used for?
- The Disposable Protective Covers are CLEAN and not sterile. They
are used on high risk patients where you do not want fluids
contaminating the light.
- The light has two intensity settings, hi and low, which one
should I use?
- You will generally use the higher setting on all patients. The low
setting works better sometimes to bring the vein into sharper focus.
The low setting is also for small neonates where the high setting
seems to blow through the tiny arm.
- I have done everything and I still don’t see any veins, what
should I do?
- If you tried in a dark room and were unable to find anything, then
you can either perform a blind stick or suggest a cut down
procedure. Obviously there are no veins available.
- Does it work on obese patients?
- Obese patients are a special challenge. Generally they are
sedentary and their small venous network is obscured by the fatty
tissue. On these patients you will do best to go for veins on the
back pad of the hand. However, every patient is different, and you
may be delighted to find great veins with the light.
- How does it work on dark skinned patients?
- It works like magic on all but the very darkest skin. On the
darker skin the area of illumination is greatly reduced and you will
be concentrating on the small illuminated area between the arms. You
verify the vein by pressing down and releasing as usual.
- How do I use the light to check for infiltration?
- You can check for infiltration with a simple scan with the Venoscope®.
You located the dark line, verified it and started the IV. If you
look again at the vein with the catheter in place and do not see the
dark line you can expect infiltration. The fluid has infiltrated
into the interstitial tissue and all you see is the glow from the
reflecting tissue and fluid and no vein.
- What do the patients think about the Venoscope®?
- Most think it a novel approach to locating veins and they are
ecstatic when the nurse shows them their vein. When the IV is
started with one stick they are very happy and generally ask
"Why didn’t you use it before now?". Rest assured, they
will tell their doctor and friends about the new Venoscope®
and how it helped reduce their discomfort.
- This looks complicated, how long does it take?
- The first few times that you use the light will take the longest,
probably less than 10 minutes to do the assessment. Once you
"see the picture" you should be able to assess a patient
in a few minutes because you can easily recognize the good veins.
- The light feels warm after being on for a few minutes. Will it
burn the patients?
- NO, the light temperature has been measured at 95 degree F, below
body temperature, after 15 minutes continuous on.
- Is the Venoscope® II TGA/FDA approved?
- Yes, the Venoscope® has FDA and TGA
approval.
- How do I know when to change the batteries?
- The red LED on top of the switch will illuminate each time you
turn the light on. It will check the circuitry and then go out if
the batteries are good. When the red LED stays on, it is time to
change the 3 AA alkaline batteries. New batteries should last 10-12
hours continuous on and many hours in normal use.
- If the bulbs burn out, who do I call?
- The bulbs are rated in excess of 5,000 hours, however, some fail
early. The Venoscope® is sealed and the bulbs
cannot be changed. If it fails within one year from purchase, simply
call us and we will replace it with a new one at no cost to you.
- Other departments within the hospital want a Venoscope®,
who do I tell them to call?
- All ordering information is available on our web site www.users.bigpond.com/graykon.
For direct link to ordering information click on this link
Thank you for using the new Venoscope® II. Above all,
have fun with the Venoscope®. Engage the patients and
show them how easy it is to find good veins. Their anxiety level will
decrease and they will become involved in the procedure rather than just
sit and bear the pain.
Clinical
Studies
Transillumination
Mapping Prior to Ambulatory Phlebectomy
Detecting
IV Infiltrations using a Venoscope
Transillumination
Mapping Prior to Ambulatory Phlebectomy
Robert A. Weiss, MD
Mitchel P. Goldman, MD
BACKGROUND.
Ambulatory phlebectomy (AP) for removal of varicose and reticular veins
has become a very popular and widely used in-office outpatient technique
over the past decade. One of the major obstacles of this or any other
surgical vein removal technique is the technical difficulty presented to
the surgeon by the disappearance of the veins to be removed when the
patient is positioned horizontally on an operative table. Preoperative
marking is therefore essential.
OBJECTIVE.
To investigate whether use of transillumination would facilitate and
enhance marking of varicose veins prior to AP, we performed a study in
which both traditional marking with the patient standing and
transillumination marking with the patient horizontal were performed
sequentially.
METHODS.
One hundred patients were sequentially examined prior to AP. The veins
to be removed were mapped by the traditional way utilizing visual
inspection and palpation in a standing position. They were then mapped
in the supine or prone position utilizing a transillumination device
specifically designed to enhance visualization of veins prior to
venipuncture.
RESULTS.
In 100 out of 100 patients the markings performed using
transillumination mapping most closely correlated with actual vein
position during surgery. In addition, transillumination allowed for
gauging of vein depth.
CONCLUSIONS.
Transillumination mapping significantly enhances the technique of
ambulatory phlebectomy by more accurately visualizing the course of a
varicose vein prior to extraction. Furthermore, sites for incisions or
punctures are more accurately guided. As a result of this experience, it
is now our routine practice to perform preoperative mapping for AP by
transillumination in the horizontal position.
1998 by the American Society for
Dermatologic Surgery, Inc. Dermatol Surg 1998:24-447-450.
Los Angeles, CA
Detecting
IV Infiltrations Using a Venoscope®
Carolyn Baratta Yucha, RN, PhD, Paul Russ, MD, Sharon Baker, RN, MS
This research evaluates the Venoscope® for its
ability to detect infiltrations when present (sensitivity) and to detect
the absence of infiltrations when not present (specificity), and
compares these findings with those obtained via ultrasonography. Healthy
adult volunteers were randomly assigned to receive or not receive an
intentionally made 5-ml normal-saline infiltration. The Venoscope®
had a sensitivity of .92-.93 and a specificity of .89-1.0. Ultrasound
had a sensitivity of .92-.93 and a specificity of .22-.25. The Venoscope®,
which is simple and easy to use, is a valid indicator of the presence
and absence of IV infiltrations.
DISCUSSION
Under the conditions studied, the Venoscope® was able to
accurately detect the presence of an infiltration 92% of the time and to
accurately detect the absence of an infiltration 80-100% of the time.
These findings suggest that a valid use of the Venoscope®
is the detection of IV infiltrations. In this study, the Venoscope®
was able to detect infiltrations made with 5 ml of normal saline, 20
minutes postinfiltration. It is expected that the Venoscope®
would perform better when using it to examine an IV site in the process
of infiltrating or immediately after infiltration has occurred. Venoscope®
examination is simple, it requires approximately 10 seconds to complete,
and it can be performed readily at the bedside.
Although the ultrasound performed similarly with regard to detection of
IV infiltrations (sensitivity), it was not able to detect lack of
infiltration (specificity) as well as the Venoscope®.
Because of logistics involved in data collection, ultrasound examination
occurred approximately 40 minutes after infiltration/injection. Although
it may have performed better had the examinations occurred earlier, this
time change may have made no difference because diagnosis of
infiltration was based on position of the cannula in relation to the
vein, and this position was not expected to change over the time period
studied. More importantly perhaps, ultrasound examination requires
expensive equipment and extensive training; therefore, it is not
cost-effective as a tool to examine IV sites on a routine basis.
Although IV infiltrations occur frequently, most do not cause any
serious tissue damage. At the minimum, IV infiltrations cause patient
discomfort and require re-insertion of an IV cannula elsewhere, which
consumes nursing time and increases the cost of supplies. Alternatively,
solutions containing calcium, potassium, antibiotics, vasoconstrictors,
or chemotherapeutic agents are known to cause marked tissue damage.
Early detection of infiltrations of these solutions may prevent nerve
damage and/or tissue sloughing, which necessitates skin grafting and
potential litigation. Use of the Venoscope® in
routine hourly IV checks could allow the nurse to detect infiltrations
earlier, thereby minimizing the amount of solution extravasated and
subsequent tissue damage.
The RA using the Venoscope® to evaluate the IV sites
had been examining IV sites in hospitalized patients intermittently
during a 1-year period. It is unknown how much experience a nurse should
have with the Venoscope® to detect infiltrations with
the sensitivity and specificity reported here. In addition, this study
evaluated the performance of the Venoscope® in young
adults. Although its reliability and validity in infants, children, or
older adults is unknown, it is likely that it would be easier to detect
infiltrations in these subjects because they generally have less
subcutaneous tissue than young adults. Lastly, this study does not
evaluate the performance of the Venoscope® in ill
patients who have IVs. However, there is no reason to believe that its
performance would be altered in ill patients.
Carolyn B. Yucha, RN, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University
of Colorado Health Science Center School of Nursing in Denver, Colorado,
where she teaches Anatomy, Physiology, and Pathophysiology. Sharon Baker
is a Clinical Nurse Educator at University Hospital in Denver, Colorado.
Paul Russ is an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology at
the University of Colorado Health Science Center in Denver, Colorado.
JOURNAL OF INTRAVENOUS NURSING
Vol. 20, No. 1 January/February 1997
Testimonials
"I wanted to thank you for this
wonderful product. I work in a small facility that does not have IV teams
or a lot of nurses around at any given time to attempt hard IV sticks. I
am an ER nurse who has used this product for a little over a year and have
used too many times to count. Our ancillary departments use it as well
such as the Lab, Med-Surg unit, and radiology.
We have had ER physicians from other hospitals who have seen us use this
and upon returning to there facility recommended they get one. I would
recommend the VENOSCOPE ll to anyone!!!
Thanks Again,"
Angela Murrell LPN, ER
Pershing Memorial Hospital
"I have been using your Venoscope II
for 3 months now, and I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with
it. It works every bit as well as scopes costing 5 times as much. Thanks
for a great product."
Alex Denes, MD
Hemet, CA
"I have been using the Venoscope,
Model VSK1001, for the past five
years and it has proven to be invaluable in imaging deep reticular veins,
even beneath matted spider veins, for sclerotherapy treatment. I also use
it to mark veins pre-operatively for ambulatory stab avulsion phlebectomy
procedures, and I occasionally use it intra-operatively. I have tested the
new Venoscope II with its LED light
array and find it to be even more effective than the previous version. I
consider the Venoscope II to be a
"must have" device for every physician practicing sclerotherapy
or ambulatory phlebectomy. It makes the procedures easier, quicker and
more effective.
Thank you most kindly for the opportunity to test the new model and I
commend you for your contributions to improving the quality of care for
patients with venous disease."
James C. Ingram, Jr., MD, FACS
Director, Vein Centers of Louisiana
Lafayette, LA
"The Venoscope has become an
indispensable tool in my phlebology practice. (I have two, just in case
one breaks down). I held on to the original version until it pretty much
fell apart. The Venoscope II
entered my life just in time. It is surprisingly lightweight and even more
powerful than the original. It even serves as an effective marketing tool.
When patients clearly see the offending reticular vein feeding their
telangiectasias, their confidence level in me goes up. The Venoscope
allows almost 100% vein entry and allows accurate assessment of extent and
completeness of treatment. No other device comes close.
Dr. Wayne Gradman
Los Angeles, CA
"The new Venoscope II is
awesome. It is light weight, easy to use and shows beautiful images under
every circumstance we have used it.
Following ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy we treat reticular veins and
spider veins. The Venoscope II is
the most successful tool I have ever used in helping me delineate
reticular veins for treatment. When I teach my Workshops and give
preceptorships I will definitely recommend the use of the Venoscope
II and demonstrate its function. I can’t imagine any office doing
even the simplest type of sclerotherapy doing the work without the Venoscope
II.
Thank you very much for letting us use this. I will use it daily."
Thomas J. Sims, MD
Physician and Surgeon
To Whom It May Concern:
"The Venoscope’s recent
advancements have produced a brilliant portable light source to
transilluminate for Venous and Arterial access in preterm and term
newborns. The light is also handy for transillumination of the chest and
head. We have used various other light sources for similar applications,
but these are cumbersome, bulky, and difficult to stabilize. The new Venoscope
II is small and easy to use. It will prove to be an invaluable and
"must have" device for the NICU."
Jim G. Adams, D.O.
Lafayette, LA
"I’ve used the Venoscope for
18 months in my practice of phlebology. I couldn’t imagine practicing
without this ingenious device. Matting? Blushing? Good luck treating these
nuisances without a Venoscope! This
handy light resides in my coat pocket. I can pull it out anytime to
unravel the feeding system of complex telangiectasia. I can map out many
complex systems without resorting to a duplex.
I am very excited about the new Venoscope
II. During my test of the prototype, I found it to be much more
powerful without the need for dimming the lights. And the cost of the
unit, is incredibly inexpensive for any tool that will prove
to be used not daily but, rather, hourly by anyone in the practice of
phlebology (not to mention its usefulness an IV technician or a paediatric
nurse on the hunt of the all-to-common elusive intravenous access).
Congratulations on a fine product that will be a "sell-out", and
please reserve three of them for me."
Sanford J. Greenberg, MD
Medical Director, The Vein Doctor
Palm Desert, CA
"I wanted to express my appreciation for the opportunity to use the
new Venoscope II as it is the most
user friendly transillumination device I have used to date. The placement
of the LED lights on the handpiece appears to be optimal for excellent
visualization of reticular and superficial varicose veins on our
patient’s legs and at other sites. This new device appears to be a
significant technological improvement for convenient, easily portable
transillumination of our patients’ veins as it applies to injection
compression sclerotherapy and ambulatory phlebectomy.
Thank you for providing a greatly improved transilluminator."
Rick K. Wilson, M.D.
Member of American College of Phlebology
Plano Dermatology
"First stick confidence"
"I have been using the Venoscope
transilluminator for the past 6 years in my role as a homecare nurse. I
use it as my "field backup" for those frequent difficult sticks.
It has allowed me to locate and cannulate veins that were invisible
without the Venoscope. Patients
request me repeatedly because the Venoscope
means fewer sticks and less discomfort.
The new Venoscope II is a wonderful technological advancement over
the old light. It is brighter, lighter, smaller and uses 3 AA alkaline
batteries which I can change myself. The little red indicator tells me
when I need to change batteries.
I highly recommend that every homecare nurse have a new Venoscope
II. It will give them that first stick confidence to tackle even
the most difficult patient. Best of all, the light is very affordable for
nurses to purchase for themselves.
Virginia Watson, RN
Homecare Nurse
Covington, LA
"I just wanted to drop you folks a line to let you know how much I
appreciate the new Venoscope II. I
am an RN at a busy county hospital. I start between 10-20 peripheral IVs a
week. I have worked at this facility for 31 years. The
new Venoscope II has made my job
much easier. I started with the original Landry vein light and then
the Venoscope. The
latest model is easy to use and convenient to keep with me during my work
day. I recommend the light to any nurse who starts IVs. It is guaranteed
to upgrade their skills with a little practice. Keep up the good
work..."
Alan Redick, RN.
Contra Costa Regional Medical Center
Martinez, CA.
"I have been using the Venoscope II
since May 2002. As a Nuclear Medicine Technologist in the Radiology
Department at Henry Ford Hospital, I inject a wide spectrum of patients,
who, for various reasons, occasionally have veins that are difficult to
access. These patients are pleased, as am I , that I have a "magic
light" that reveals (and makes accessible), their hidden veins, thus
minimizing their discomfort and allowing their exams to be started in a
timely manner. This is a tool that enhances my skills and affords greater
patient satisfaction."
Thomas Fletcher
Henry Ford Hospital
Neonatal
Transilluminator
Specially Designed for
Special Patients.
Finally, a neonatal
transilluminator designed specifically with you and the neonate
in mind. We've taken all the great features of the Venoscope®
II and put them into a transilluminator that better
serves the special needs of your neonatal patients. It still
features the same powerful LED lights, but is now smaller and
more portable, making it even easier to use around
neonates. The cool lights are strong enough to illuminate the
hardest to find veins without the risk of burning the baby.
Creating happier babies makes happier nurses.
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Easy to use.
Bright
/ Cool lights that
won't burn the baby.
Compact.
Portable.
Battery
Operated.
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The Neonatal
Transilluminator weighs just 6 ounces including the 3
"AA" batteries. It features a low battery indicator light that
alerts the nurse to change the batteries.
Neonatal Usage
Instructions
How
to buy
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Greycon Scientific
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