A Handheld Robot for Pediatric PIVC: Device Design and Preclinical Trial

Peripheral Intravenous Catheterization (PIVC) is often required in hospitals to fulfill urgent needs for blood sampling or fluid/medication administration. Although PIVC is often easy and successful in adults, it is a very difficult procedure for young pediatric patients. Multiple attempts of catheter insertion are typically needed before a successful placement, especially for clinical personnel lacking specific expertise on this task. The risks of such multiple attempts can be severe and life-threatening as they can cause serious extravasation injuries. Given the levels of precision and controllability needed for PIVC, robotic systems have large potential to effectively assist the operation and improve its success rate. Therefore, this research aims to provide such robotic assistance by focusing on the most challenging part of the operation: the insertion depth control to precisely access the target vein. A handheld robot for controlling the insertion and detecting venipuncture is introduced and evaluate...