If you've ever had your blood drawn, you know that while it's not necessarily a pleasant experience, but it's not so bad, either. A little pin-prick, a few vials of blood and an Oreo cookie later and it's all over.
That is unless they can't find a vein, or have to stick you more than once, or one of any other issues that can crop up. If only there was some way to find your vein easily, have a Google map of the arm or something like that.
Well now there is. A new product from Evena Medical allows the phlebotomist to see the blood flowing right beneath the skin. It's pretty remarkable, a little creepy, and another example of some nifty medical technology. Watch the video below and be amazed.
I would certainly like to know how much these cost and how easy they are to be serviced should the need arise. I am not an easy blood draw, but a well practiced phlebotomist that understands basic anatomy can hit my veins with one try. Either you know how to do it or not. Being a Vet Tech, I always have this discussion with phlebotomists...how I could never draw blood on humans and how I feel that animals are much easier than humans to retreive a blood sample (they disagree)...but I feel again either you know your anatomy or you don't. And either you can draw blood or you can't. The glasses seem to me like they would be most useful in a neonatal ward or with diabetic patients. And again where does it stop...look under your skin for blood flow one day...inventory your organs the next?
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ReplyDeleteThat is a major break through for medical technology. It will benefit patients who have a hard time getting their blood drawn and will make the nurses job more easier. I do find it a little creepy that medical providers can see under my skin all because of these goggles, its simply just weird. I don't believe its a necessity for the medical field its more of an easier and faster option for certain nurses.
ReplyDeleteThis is pretty impressive. If only this was invented when the nurse stuck me 3 times before she drew blood! She was a new nurse and I felt like her test subject. I got pricked on both arms (twice on one, one on the other) because she messed up with the vein of one arm and she wanted to try her luck with the other. I was terrified, the first couple of times, the needle wasn't even positioned in the right angle. The point of all this is, it's about damn time.
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of some great tech I saw when I had a chance to go to CES this year. There was a mobile health checkup port where you could go in and be remotely put in front of a doctor on a screen. He could then instruct you on using the different tools and he could receive the results remotely. Pretty incredible. Also, the amount of iPhone friendly health gadgets was borderline overwhelming. You could get a blood pressure cuff and monitor, blood sugar tester and more that all plugged into the bottom of the iPhone and worked with an app to give you your results. I hope that I will be lucky enough to get the chance to head to CES again this year in January and see what is next.
ReplyDeleteWhoa, those glasses are crazy! I've had some bouts with nurses who can't always find my veins on the first try, so I'd appreciate them using something like this to help. I'm amused by the fact that the glasses have wi-fi, bluetooth, and built-in earphones. I'm not sure how comfortable I'd be if the person taking my blood was doing it while in the middle of a hands-free phone conversation or jamming out to their mp3 players.
ReplyDeleteI have heard from people that have given blood that it is oftentimes very uncomfortable when the phlebotomist cannot find the vein. With that being said, I think that these situations lead to some reservations about donating blood. If these glasses make the process easier and less painful, maybe it will encourage more people to donate.
ReplyDeleteI consider this a blessing going in to get blood drawn which I would rather at all costs is traumatic for me. The different sizes of needles they use just to draw the blood then after a couple minutes decided ohhh wait - this doesn't seem to have enough pressure is stressful. So glad for technology that such ordeals will become a thing of the past. With the introduction of the single payer plan I doubt the cost will be that significant.
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