초록 ▼

The device disclosed herein may be affixed over a transparent dressing overlying the catheter entry point, or may be used independent of such a dressing. The device may be affixed to the catheter insertion site using an adhesive or fastening band, or through other methods. Depending on context, the

The device disclosed herein may be affixed over a transparent dressing overlying the catheter entry point, or may be used independent of such a dressing. The device may be affixed to the catheter insertion site using an adhesive or fastening band, or through other methods. Depending on context, the device may be used continuously or periodically, and may be affixed such that it is directly abutting a transparent dressing or directly adjacent to the skin surface, or it may be spaced a certain distance from the skin. If spaced from the skin, light may be directed from the light sources, either directly or indirectly through optical conduits. Preferably the light sources will be positioned such that light from the light sources overlaps at one or more areas on the skin, especially the catheter entry point.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for preventing infection at a catheter insertion site, comprising: a U-shaped housing comprising a cross-bar and a pair of arms extending from said cross-bar, and light-emitting elements for irradiating a catheter insertion site with violet and/or blue light having wavelengths in a r

1. An apparatus for preventing infection at a catheter insertion site, comprising: a U-shaped housing comprising a cross-bar and a pair of arms extending from said cross-bar, and light-emitting elements for irradiating a catheter insertion site with violet and/or blue light having wavelengths in a range of 390-492 nanometers;said cross-bar and said pair of arms having a diagonal lower surface from which one or more of said light-emitting elements extend;said light-emitting elements positioned such that they emit light in a direction below the housing while operational. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: strap slots and a strap for attaching the apparatus to a catheter insertion site, the strap slots extending from a top of the housing. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a catheter inserted into said catheter insertion site;a transparent window dressing affixed over the catheter insertion site;said light-emitting elements positioned such that they emit light through said transparent window dressing. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: batteries located within said pair of arms, the batteries configured to provide power to said light-emitting elements. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a clamp holding the U-shaped housing above the catheter insertion site. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an electronic cable connected to the housing, and configured to provide power to the light-emitting elements. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising control circuitry configured to control activation timing and activation duration of said light-emitting elements. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said light-emitting elements are all configured to emit light at roughly the same wavelength as each other. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said light-emitting elements are all configured to emit light which is not at roughly the same wavelength as each other. 10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a heat sink coupled to the U-shaped housing, configured to draw heat from the light-emitting elements and emit said heat into the atmosphere, to reduce the temperature of said light-emitting elements. 11. An apparatus for preventing infection at a catheter insertion site, comprising: a U-shaped housing comprising a cross-bar and a pair of arms extending from said cross-bar, and light-emitting elements for irradiating a catheter insertion site with violet and/or blue light having wavelengths in a range of 390-492 nanometers;a flap element hingedly attached to said cross-bar between said pair of arms and movable between an engaged position where the flap element is positioned in a plane corresponding to a horizontal plane of the said pair of arms and a disengaged position where the flap element is lifted up from the horizontal plane of said pair of arms, said light-emitting elements being located on said flap element, said light-emitting elements positioned such that they emit light in a direction below the housing while operational, said flap element being biased towards said engaged position in which the light from the light-emitting elements is directed directly downward; andan optical conduit configured to enhance optical coupling between said light-emitting elements and said catheter insertion site, and configured to act as a thermal insulator, said optical conduit located between the pair of arms and positioned such that it is directly below the flap element when the flap element is in said engaged position, said optical conduit being composed of an optically transmissive material for allowing light emitted from said light-emitting elements to be incident on said catheter insertion site. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: strap slots and a strap for attaching the apparatus to a catheter insertion site, the strap slots extending from a top of the housing. 13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a catheter inserted into said catheter insertion site;a transparent window dressing affixed over the catheter insertion site;said light-emitting elements positioned such that they emit light through said transparent window dressing. 14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: said optical conduit is adjacent to said transparent window dressing and a bottom surface of said flap element when said flap element is in said engaged position. 15. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: an adhesive holding the U-shaped housing above the catheter insertion site. 16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: an electronic cable connected to the housing, and configured to provide power to the light-emitting elements. 17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the light-emitting elements are light emitting diodes. 18. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising: a cradle for receiving said U-shaped housing, said cradle having a charging mechanism capable of being coupled with said U-shaped housing, to provide power to said U-shaped housing. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein: said cradle further comprises a port for connection to a computer for control and data gathering purposes. 20. A method of preventing infection at a catheter insertion site, comprising: inserting a catheter into a catheter insertion site;applying a transparent window dressing to said catheter insertion site;providing an apparatus for preventing infection at a catheter insertion site, said apparatus comprising a U-shaped housing having light-emitting elements directed in a downward direction for irradiating the catheter insertion site with violet and/or blue light having wavelengths in a range of 390-492 nanometers; andintroducing said apparatus for preventing infection over said transparent window dressing such that said light-emitting elements are directed to emit light through said transparent window dressing. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising: moving a flap element attached to a cross-bar of said U-shaped housing between a pair of arms extending from the cross-bar from a disengaged position where the flap element is positioned in a plane that does not correspond to a horizontal plane of said pair of arms to an engaged position where the flap element is positioned in a plane that corresponds to the horizontal plane of said pair of arms to activate the device such that light from said light-emitting elements are directed at said catheter insertion site. 22. The method of claim 21, wherein: introducing said apparatus comprises applying an adhesive to said apparatus and applying said apparatus so said catheter insertion site such that said adhesive holds said apparatus in place. 23. The method of claim 21, wherein: introducing said apparatus comprises utilizing a clamp to hold said apparatus in place over said catheter insertion site such that light from said light-emitting elements is incident on said catheter insertion site. 24. The method of claim 21, further comprising: periodically providing a reminder to activate the device at pre-scheduled times and for pre-determined periods. 25. The method of claim 21, further comprising: providing an optical conduit above said transparent window dressing. 26. The method of claim 21, wherein: introducing said apparatus comprises utilizing a hook-and-fastener material to hold said apparatus in place over said catheter insertion site such that light from said light-emitting elements is incident on said catheter insertion site.