Methods of actuating a needle array device can include causing fluid to move through flow channels to needle apertures that are spaced apart from an inflow aperture at different distances where flow channels that have approximately equal pathway lengths and where the fluid can reach tips of the needle apertures approximately simultaneously, which can provide an approximately equal dosage or fluid volume through the tips of the needle apertures.

A device and a method for cooling living tissues for a medical purpose and other purposes are proposed. The device may include a container configured to accommodate a cooling medium, the container including a plurality of divided members each having a contact surface which is thermally coupled with the cooling medium. The device may also include a cooling generator configured to provide cooling energy to the container, and disposed on another surface of the divided member other than the contact surface. The device may further include a lubricating member provided to the contact surface of the divided member, wherein the container is configured to be thermally coupled with the cooling medium via the lubricating member.

A device and a method for cooling living tissues for a medical purpose and other purposes are proposed. The device may include a container configured to accommodate a cooling medium, the container including a plurality of divided members each having a contact surface which is thermally coupled with the cooling medium. The device may also include a cooling generator configured to provide cooling energy to the container, and disposed on another surface of the divided member other than the contact surface. The device may further include a lubricating member provided to the contact surface of the divided member, wherein the container is configured to be thermally coupled with the cooling medium via the lubricating member.

A pressure based vessel locating system including a pressure based vessel locator device coupled to a needle or catheter. The pressure based vessel locator device can include a proximal end having an air permeable membrane, and a first chamber and a second chamber. The first chamber can be separated from a second chamber by an interior wall. Each of the first chamber and the second chamber include a proximal opening and a chamber opening having a pressure activated valve disposed therein. The pressure based vessel locator device can further include an air permeable membrane configured to cover proximal openings of the first chamber and the second chamber. Each of the chambers include a window enabling a user to observe the contents of each chamber. A method of identifying a blood vessel includes visually inspecting each chamber for the presence or absence of blood therein.

The present device provides a method and an apparatus for applying a vaporized endothermic gas to a skin surface to provide numbing of the application site for injection with a syringe. The device includes a container or canister containing an endothermic gas that rapidly absorbs heat when released to the atmosphere. A depressible actuating member or trigger propels the gas or vapor through an outlet nozzle that is constructed to break the liquid into a vapor that can be projected as a stream of vapor along a delivery axis that intersects a delivery axis of the syringe needle; therefore, the gas or vapor can be successively delivered to an injection site with minimal repositioning of the device.

The present device provides a method and an apparatus for applying a vaporized endothermic gas to a skin surface to provide numbing of the application site for injection with a syringe. The device includes a container or canister containing an endothermic gas that rapidly absorbs heat when released to the atmosphere. A depressible actuating member or trigger propels the gas or vapor through an outlet nozzle that is constructed to break the liquid into a vapor that can be projected as a stream of vapor along a delivery axis that intersects a delivery axis of the syringe needle; therefore, the gas or vapor can be successively delivered to an injection site with minimal repositioning of the device.

The present invention generally provides a device for inserting needles and alleviating the discomfort associated with needle insertion. In certain embodiments, the device is suited for injecting butterfly needles and particularly butterfly needles that are attached to infusion tubing. The patient or caregiver loads a butterfly needle with tubing attached into the base of the drive plunger. The needle with tubing attached is retracted into the housing of the device by retracting the inner plunger. Once retracted, the device is activated and ready to administer a needle into the tissue of a patient. The device is then placed on the location of the skin where injection is desired. The surface that contacts the skin may be textured and may include a contact switch that causes the device to vibrate when slight pressure is applied through contact with the skin. Two trigger buttons in the housing of the device may be depressed to eject the needle at an angle essentially perpendicular to the surface of the skin into the tissue of the patient concurrently with the textured pads contacting the skin and vibrating, distracting the patient from the needle insertion. The inner plunger of the device is then depressed toward the surface of the skin to release the needle from the device. The wings and body of the butterfly may be secured to the skin, for example, with an adhesive such as tape.

The present invention generally provides a device for inserting needles and alleviating the discomfort associated with needle insertion. In certain embodiments, the device is suited for injecting butterfly needles and particularly butterfly needles that are attached to infusion tubing. The patient or caregiver loads a butterfly needle with tubing attached into the base of the drive plunger. The needle with tubing attached is retracted into the housing of the device by retracting the inner plunger. Once retracted, the device is activated and ready to administer a needle into the tissue of a patient. The device is then placed on the location of the skin where injection is desired. The surface that contacts the skin may be textured and may include a contact switch that causes the device to vibrate when slight pressure is applied through contact with the skin. Two trigger buttons in the housing of the device may be depressed to eject the needle at an angle essentially perpendicular to the surface of the skin into the tissue of the patient concurrently with the textured pads contacting the skin and vibrating, distracting the patient from the needle insertion. The inner plunger of the device is then depressed toward the surface of the skin to release the needle from the device. The wings and body of the butterfly may be secured to the skin, for example, with an adhesive such as tape.

A skin desensitizing device for temporarily numbing and/or cooling a surface of a subject's skin. The skin desensitizing device comprises a controller, a skin-bracing interface, and at least one overloading-neural source, which includes (i) a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS)-like device capable of electrically stimulating superficial skin neurons of the subject's skin into a state of fibrillation, (ii) a thermoelectric device capable of cooling the subject's skin to approximately 30° F. to 38° F., and (iii) a vibration device capable of vibrating the subject's skin to overload the skin's vibration sensors.

A patch having at least first and second parts is applied to the skin to prepare the skin for a transdermal device to be applied subsequently. The second part defines the area of the skin in which the required preparation process should be carried out, either by removal of a third part to form an opening in the second part or by providing preparation means such as microneedles on the underside of the second part. The second part is then removed to leave the first part adhered to the skin, which can be used as a guide for correctly locating the transdermal device so that the working area of the device and the prepared area of the skin are in alignment.