Vibrational enhancement of intravenous gas exchanging devices and long- term intravenous devices

摘要

A method whereby a programmable signal source produces a desired output signal which is transferred by a conduit means or conducting means into a patient by percutaneous venous insertion. The output signal is either vibrational or electrical. If vibrational, the conduit means or one or more transducers radiates the output signal into the treatment site within a patient. If electrical, one or more transducers receive the output signal and convert the output signal into vibration and then radiate it into the treatment site within a patient. The treatment site is the location of a catheter or other intravenous device, residing within the patient for the purposes of gas exchange in the blood stream or for other long-term treatment. The presence of the vibration increases the efficiency of intravenous gas exchanging devices significantly, and prevents clot formation on the surface of intravenous devices. The programmable output source includes signal conditioning allowing the output signal to be manipulated so as to best accommodate whatever particular catheter or device is being employed. The increase in efficiency of the catheter or device resulting from the vibration correlates into safer patient treatment and longer life for the catheter or device employed.