Cannula insertion system

Abstract

A cannula insertion system for inserting a cannula into a human or animal body, includes a cannula and a cannula insertion device to hold and insert the cannula into the human or animal body in an insertion direction. The cannula insertion system includes a safety device configured to retract the cannula or to release the cannula from the cannula insertion device when a force exerted on the cannula in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction results in exceeding a respective safety threshold value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cannula insertion system for inserting a cannula into a human or animal body, comprising:
 a cannula; and   a cannula insertion device to hold and insert the cannula into the human or animal body in an insertion direction, wherein the cannula insertion device comprises a cannula holder to hold the cannula,   wherein the cannula insertion system comprises a cannula holder sensor arranged to determine whether a cannula is held by the cannula holder and/or to determine a position of the cannula, for example with respect to the insertion direction of the cannula insertion device.   
     
     
         2 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula holder sensor is configured to determine a position of the cannula in at least one degree of freedom, for example three or six degrees of freedom. 
     
     
         3 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula holder sensor is arranged to determine alignment of the cannula with the insertion direction of the cannula insertion device. 
     
     
         4 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula insertion system comprises a control device, wherein the cannula holder sensor is connected to the control device and wherein the control device is configured to check that the cannula is properly held by the cannula insertion device before a procedure of automatic insertion of the cannula into a body part is started. 
     
     
         5 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the position of the cannula may be determined with respect to the cannula insertion device and/or with respect to the human or animal body and/or with respect to one or more sensors configured to determine one or more features or characteristics of the human or animal body, for example with respect to a contact sensor of the cannula insertion system. 
     
     
         6 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula holder is configured to releasably hold the cannula. 
     
     
         7 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula holder sensor is arranged on a cannula insertion device positioning system, a sensor or a positioning system for such sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula insertion system comprises a contact sensor, wherein the cannula holder sensor is arranged at a location where it can determine a relative position of the cannula with respect to the contact sensor by measuring from this location both the position of the cannula and the position of the contact sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula insertion system comprises a contact sensor, wherein the cannula holder sensor is arranged on the contact sensor or a positioning system for such contact sensor to determine a relative position of the cannula with respect to the contact sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula holder sensor is configured to determine relative position changes between a distal end of the cannula and a target area of the human or animal body for introduction of the cannula. 
     
     
         11 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula insertion system comprises a safety device configured to retract the cannula or to release the cannula from the cannula insertion device, in case a safety requirement is not met, wherein the cannula insertion system is arranged to activate the safety device to release the cannula from the cannula holder and/or to retract the cannula if an unexpected movement between the distal end of the cannula and the target area occurs. 
     
     
         12 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula holder is arranged to adapt a position of the cannula to align the cannula with the insertion direction in case measurements of the cannula holder sensor indicate that the cannula is not properly aligned with the insertion direction. 
     
     
         13 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula insertion system further comprises:
 a positioning system supporting the cannula insertion device, and   a control device arranged to control the positioning system to position, on the basis of a determined location for insertion of the cannula into the human or animal body, the cannula insertion device in a suitable position to insert the cannula into the human or animal body.   
     
     
         14 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula is a needle. 
     
     
         15 . The cannula insertion system of  claim 1 , wherein the cannula insertion system is an autonomous cannula insertion system constructed to autonomously insert the cannula into a blood vessel and/or wherein the cannula insertion system is constructed to autonomously draw blood from a blood vessel.