Star Trek Medical Tech Becomes Reality with Accuvein

02-13-2014 • NEXT NEWS

NATION | Has another technology like those displayed in Star Trek and other science fiction shows recently become a reality? Perhaps it has with the Accuvein.Few people enjoy injections, and one challenge for medical practitioners is finding a vein in which to insert a needle. Over 2.7 million injections are performed in the United States each day. Without an accurate guideline where to place the needle, healthcare givers may be forced to inject the patient again, increasing the level of pain and discomfort. According to some estimates, one-third of all attempts to find a vein with a needle fail in adults, requiring an additional attempt. The case is even worse for children, for whom 52 percent of first attempts need to be repeated, due to baby fat. A relatively new device called Accuvein AV 400 eliminates the guesswork, by illuminating veins beneath the skin, clearly showing blood vessels up to four-tenths of an inch beneath the skin. The system uses lasers to show the veins insta