An ultrasound probe sheathing device : design, development, and evaluation

Abstract

During interventional ultrasound-guided procedures, sterility is maintained by covering the ultrasound transducer head and cord with a sterile sheath. The current sheathing technique is cumbersome, requires an assistant to complete, and poses a risk of tangling the probe cord and breaching the sterile barrier. This paper presents the design, development, and evaluation of a probe holder and cartridge-style, single-use applicator that returns high quality ultrasound images and sheaths ultrasound transducers 35% faster than the current technique with a decreased risk of breaking sterility. When tested by medical professionals, all participants preferred the new device to the existing probe sheathing method.