Abstract An improved hypodermic needle to greatly reduce or eliminate trauma to nerve fascicles during the injection of an anesthesia. The needle includes a solid, conically-shaped tip, preferably pointed, an elongated shaft having a hollow interior for delivering the anesthesia and one or more lateral openings strategically spaced away from the tip of the needle. The pinpoint tip of the needle separates the nerve fascicles without cutting them, also preventing intraneural pressurized injection of the anesthesia while allowing for dispensing of the anesthesia in the perineural space. In addition the needle may be used to further localize nerves to be blocked through electrical stimulation. In this embodiment the shaft of the needle has a coating of electrically insulating material or a plastic sleeve while the tip is non-insulated and appropriate circuitry is used in conjunction with the needle so treated. The needle may be withdrawn leaving the plastic sleeve in place to be used to repeat injections and prolong the time of blockage, or to reinforce a difficient block.
A new and improved nerve anesthesia needle for reducing or eliminating trauma to nerve fascicles during the injection of an anesthesia, comprising: a hub; an elongated, rigid electrically conductive shaft of predetermined length and diameter, said shaft having one end connected to said hub; said shaft includes a fluid conduit means for transporting anesthesia to a nerve; said shaft having a smooth pointed cone-shaped tip means connected to said shaft, said smooth tip means for penetrating without cutting nerves and for locating the nerve through electrical conductivity of said shaft and for paraneurally depositing anesthesia at the located nerve; said smooth tip means including only a penetrating point for preventing cutting of the nerve; dispensing means connected to said conduit means for allowing fluid to be dispensed from said shaft, said dispensing means for dispensing anesthesia paraneurally, said dispensing means spaced from said point and including exit opening area means for preventing nerve damage.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
154 words
A new and improved nerve anesthesia needle for reducing or eliminating trauma to nerve fascicles during the injection of an anesthesia, comprising: a hub; an elongated, rigid electrically conductive shaft of predetermined length and diameter, said shaft having one end connected to said hub; said shaft includes a fluid conduit means for transporting anesthesia to a nerve; said shaft having a smooth pointed cone-shaped tip means connected to said shaft, said smooth tip means for penetrating without cutting nerves and for locating the nerve through electrical conductivity of said shaft and for paraneurally depositing anesthesia at the located nerve; said smooth tip means including only a penetrating point for preventing cutting of the nerve; dispensing means connected to said conduit means for allowing fluid to be dispensed from said shaft, said dispensing means for dispensing anesthesia paraneurally, said dispensing means spaced from said point and including exit opening area means for preventing nerve damage.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A new and improved nerve anesthesia needle as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said dispensing means is an elongated, longitudinal opening in said needle positioned rearward of said smooth tip means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
A new and improved nerve anesthesia needle as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said dispensing means includes a plurality of holes longitudinally disposed along said needle, each said hole spaced from an adjacent hole such that at least one hole allows paraneural injection of said anesthesia for preventing nerve damage, while preventing intraneural injection.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A new and improved nerve anesthesia needle as set forth in claims 2 or 3 wherein: said dispensing means is at least two millimeters from said point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A new and improved nerve anesthesia needle as set forth in claims 2, 3 or 4 including: an insulation coating on said shaft up to said smooth tip means to insulate said shaft.