Vacuderm is a vein inflator that provides an enhanced tourniquet effect by manually pumping a dome that creates a negative pressure to increase blood flow to the veins, making them more prominent and easier to cannulate.
The process of inserting a needle into a patient’s vein (cannulation), is the most widely performed invasive medical procedure in the world. Over a billion peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVSs) are inserted each year in hospitalized patients worldwide. Venous access enables medical professionals to sample blood, and administer fluids, medicine, chemotherapy and more.
However, cannulation is a traumatic procedure for many patients, and often this trauma can intensify when practitioners fail to successfully cannulate first time due to poorly pronounced veins.
Vacuderm is a unique single-use combined vein inflator tourniquet, incorporating a dome which creates a negative pressure to distend the vein local to the intravenous access site. The product is British and designed to aid intravenous needle insertion for cannulation, blood collection and drug delivery. Suitable for most hospital departments, clinics, home-care nursing and ambulances
Vacuderm, not only enhances vein visibility but can actually increase the cross-sectional area of the vein by up to 60%. Vein temperature is also increased through its expansion, subsequently enhancing visibility and accessibility.
Pentland Medical managing director, Stewart Munro, commented: “Failed cannulation attempts are not only expensive but traumatic for the patient. Vacuderm increases the chances of cannulating on the first attempt by enhancing the tourniquet effect and distending the targeted vein in preparation for the insertion of an IV catheter.
“Vacuderm fits well with the Pentland Medical portfolio as a unique and patented device, providing a simple solution to a problem that is evident across a variety of settings throughout healthcare.” Designed, developed and manufactured in the UK to the highest standards.
According to research, each failed cannulation attempt can cost as much as £33 leading to increased costs, besides the obvious trauma experienced by patients and practitioners alike, as well as increased infection risk.
Vacuderm can be used for both adults and children and essentially inflates the vein, making it easier to find and cannulate for medical professionals to reduce the likelihood of procedure failure first time.
The paediatric version has two designs available, a hedgehog or a turtle shell design on the Vacuum pump. The child can choose to pump the Vacuderm instead of the practitioner should they wish. This not only offers the child a method of distraction but also a way to help make the child feel more comfortable. The paediatric version also comes with a distraction card. The distraction card shows a hedgehog dressed as a nurse and a turtle dressed as a doctor. The aim is to find the hidden items shown on the far right in each scenario. Both options of distraction are particularly helpful if the child has had a negative experience in the past or if they are nervous.
Vacuderm was created by Dr Arash Bakhtyari the CEO of Olberon, set up in 2005. Arash has experience in NHS (as a consultant radiologist) and is also a certified specialist in pharmaceutical medicine.
You can see further information on both Adults and Kids Vacuderm on Pentland Medicals website at the following link - https://www.pentlandmedical.co.uk/vacuderm/
