New needle guidance solution helps make central venous catheter procedures "point-and-shoot" simple to improve care quality and reduce healthcare costs

BOTHELL, WA - SonoSite, Inc., a subsidiary of FUJIFILM Corporation and the world leader and specialist in bedside and point-of-care ultrasound, today announced a partnership with Soma Access Systems LLC to bring AxoTrack™ needle visualization technology to market on SonoSite ultrasound systems.

This innovative technology combines traditional ultrasound imaging with advanced magnetics to provide clinicians with a real-time update of the needle position that can be visualized as it travels through tissue to its intended target. This capability is ideal for placing central venous catheters (CVC) as clinicians try to quickly gain vascular access while avoiding critical structures.
"The integration of AxoTrack technology into SonoSite's product portfolio will help to address the 'multi-tasking' challenges faced by many clinicians during the performance of CVCs," said Kevin M. Goodwin, SonoSite's President and CEO. "Avoiding the lung while coordinating the needle and ultrasound probe during these procedures can be difficult. Pre-existing health conditions, like low blood pressure, create a greater patient risk. AxoTrack's proprietary needle guidance capabilities coupled with its 'point-and-shoot' simplicity help clinicians follow the needle position and make confident decisions to successfully complete these procedures. Based on the overwhelmingly positive response already from physicians across the globe, we believe that AxoTrack will advance the practice of ultrasound-guided CVCs, improving patient outcomes, and will ultimately reduce costs from complications like
pneumothorax."

This revolutionary technology engineered by Soma is intended to improve the safety and accuracy of central venous access by providing clinicians with specific, real-time knowledge of the needle location throughout an entire procedure. An in vitro study using AxoTrack resulted in vascular access procedures that were successful on the first pass and first stick 99.3% of the time versus just 37.1% of the time when compared to the standard freehand method for ultrasound-guided central venous access.

"AxoTrack represents a major advance in needle guidance for medical procedures. Our patented technology, engineered during eight years of research and development, is designed to improve the safety of CVCs. We also believe that it will enhance the quality of care for a broad range of other needle-guided procedures, like biopsy, nerve block, cyst aspiration, arthrocentesis, thoracentesis and paracentesis," said M. Dexter Hagy, President and CEO of Soma Management LLC. "We are proud to partner with SonoSite to bring AxoTrack to market as we work together to help make healthcare safer, simpler and more cost effective."

More HCB News