CA2883794C - Cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitter tube holder - Google Patents
Cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitter tube holder Download PDFInfo
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- CA2883794C CA2883794C CA2883794A CA2883794A CA2883794C CA 2883794 C CA2883794 C CA 2883794C CA 2883794 A CA2883794 A CA 2883794A CA 2883794 A CA2883794 A CA 2883794A CA 2883794 C CA2883794 C CA 2883794C
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- B01L9/00—Supporting devices; Holding devices
- B01L9/06—Test-tube stands; Test-tube holders
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B10/00—Other methods or instruments for diagnosis, e.g. instruments for taking a cell sample, for biopsy, for vaccination diagnosis; Sex determination; Ovulation-period determination; Throat striking implements
- A61B10/0096—Casings for storing test samples
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
- A61B10/00—Other methods or instruments for diagnosis, e.g. instruments for taking a cell sample, for biopsy, for vaccination diagnosis; Sex determination; Ovulation-period determination; Throat striking implements
- A61B10/0045—Devices for taking samples of body liquids
- A61B2010/0077—Cerebrospinal fluid
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
- B01L—CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE
- B01L2200/00—Solutions for specific problems relating to chemical or physical laboratory apparatus
- B01L2200/08—Ergonomic or safety aspects of handling devices
- B01L2200/087—Ergonomic aspects
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Clinical Laboratory Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
- External Artificial Organs (AREA)
- Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
Abstract
The invention provides the first tube holder to be used in the collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by lumbar puncture for neurotransmitter testing. The holder includes five holes designed to support the five 1.5ml Eppendorf tubes required for the procedure. The holder also includes a handle that can be used by a right or left handed medical professional. The holder provides a method to fill, to the required volume, each 1.5ml tube in sequence, without having to hold each tube by hand. There is also an allowance at one end to enable the device to be suspended over a receptacle when not in active use.
Description
Title: Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder Technical field: The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder will be used in the field of pediatric neurological medicine by a medical professional to collect cerebrospinal fluid during a lumbar puncture for the purpose of testing neurotransmitter concentrations to diagnose and treat neurological disorders.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter tube holder therefor This invention provides a tube holder specifically designed for the collection of cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitters. Prior to this date a Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder did not exist to collect cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitters and the five tubes required for neurotransmitter collection were held by hand.
Background of the invention Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear fluid produced in the brain, which circulates around the brain and spinal cord. Sampling the CSF from the lumbar cistern by lumbar puncture (LP) allows measurement of the neurotransmitter concentrations in the cerebral milieu without the dangers of an open cranial procedure.
Neurotransmitters are how brain cells communicate. There are numerous rare disorders in the pediatric population due to abnormal concentrations of CSF
neurotransmitters. These can only be diagnosed by measuring neurotransmitter levels in the CSF. Many CSF neurotransmitter disorders are disabling, and some are highly treatable. Diagnosis can be the difference between a life in a wheelchair with frequent painful dystonia, and a normal life with neurotransmitter supplementation.
Standard collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): cerebrospinal fluid is collected by a physician or medical student trained in the procedure using standardized sterile techniques. There are standard commercial sterile kits for either pediatric or adult lumbar puncture. Physicians are trained using these kits. Lumbar puncture is performed for two reasons: to measure the opening pressure and to collect CSF for investigations (bacterial and viral cultures, glucose, protein, lactate, white and red blood cells). The patient is positioned either laying on their side or seated with the spine curved. The spinal needle is inserted between the vertebrae after standardized sterile preparation, the opening pressure measured, then the fluid collected in four tubes. The tubes are sterile, and easily manipulated by the physician performing the procedure. The physician holds the tubes one or two at a time. When transitioning between collection tubes, it is of no consequence if several drops of CSF are lost.
Collection of cerebrospinal fluid for the purpose of measuring neurotransmitter concentrations: In contrast to usual CSF collection, CSF collection for neurotransmitter testing requires that every single drop of CSF is collected.
This is due to a rostral to caudal gradient of neurotransmitter concentration, thus missed CSF volume can result in a false negative and a missed diagnosis. In contrast to usual CSF collection, CSF is not collected in the four 10m1 sterile tubes provided in the standard lumbar puncture kit, but instead in five much smaller 1.5ml Eppendorf tubes. The laboratory that analyzes the CSF
neurotransmitters provides a "kit" of five 1.5m1 Eppendorf tubes. Each tube is labeled with a number one through five, and each has a horizontal line drawn to indicate the required volume. The third tube contains reagent. The tubes are not sterile, due to the reagent. In contrast to the usual CSF collection, the physician performing the procedure (who is wearing sterile gloves) cannot touch the tubes, and requires an assistant. Prior to the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder an assistant held all five tubes in their hands at one time, and avoided touching either the sterile hands of the physician, or the sterile surface of the patient. The assistant had to be ready to catch the first drop of CSF, and each subsequent drop, moving their hands laterally to transition between tubes.
They had to take care to position their fingers in such a way so that the volume
Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter tube holder therefor This invention provides a tube holder specifically designed for the collection of cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitters. Prior to this date a Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder did not exist to collect cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitters and the five tubes required for neurotransmitter collection were held by hand.
Background of the invention Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear fluid produced in the brain, which circulates around the brain and spinal cord. Sampling the CSF from the lumbar cistern by lumbar puncture (LP) allows measurement of the neurotransmitter concentrations in the cerebral milieu without the dangers of an open cranial procedure.
Neurotransmitters are how brain cells communicate. There are numerous rare disorders in the pediatric population due to abnormal concentrations of CSF
neurotransmitters. These can only be diagnosed by measuring neurotransmitter levels in the CSF. Many CSF neurotransmitter disorders are disabling, and some are highly treatable. Diagnosis can be the difference between a life in a wheelchair with frequent painful dystonia, and a normal life with neurotransmitter supplementation.
Standard collection of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): cerebrospinal fluid is collected by a physician or medical student trained in the procedure using standardized sterile techniques. There are standard commercial sterile kits for either pediatric or adult lumbar puncture. Physicians are trained using these kits. Lumbar puncture is performed for two reasons: to measure the opening pressure and to collect CSF for investigations (bacterial and viral cultures, glucose, protein, lactate, white and red blood cells). The patient is positioned either laying on their side or seated with the spine curved. The spinal needle is inserted between the vertebrae after standardized sterile preparation, the opening pressure measured, then the fluid collected in four tubes. The tubes are sterile, and easily manipulated by the physician performing the procedure. The physician holds the tubes one or two at a time. When transitioning between collection tubes, it is of no consequence if several drops of CSF are lost.
Collection of cerebrospinal fluid for the purpose of measuring neurotransmitter concentrations: In contrast to usual CSF collection, CSF collection for neurotransmitter testing requires that every single drop of CSF is collected.
This is due to a rostral to caudal gradient of neurotransmitter concentration, thus missed CSF volume can result in a false negative and a missed diagnosis. In contrast to usual CSF collection, CSF is not collected in the four 10m1 sterile tubes provided in the standard lumbar puncture kit, but instead in five much smaller 1.5ml Eppendorf tubes. The laboratory that analyzes the CSF
neurotransmitters provides a "kit" of five 1.5m1 Eppendorf tubes. Each tube is labeled with a number one through five, and each has a horizontal line drawn to indicate the required volume. The third tube contains reagent. The tubes are not sterile, due to the reagent. In contrast to the usual CSF collection, the physician performing the procedure (who is wearing sterile gloves) cannot touch the tubes, and requires an assistant. Prior to the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder an assistant held all five tubes in their hands at one time, and avoided touching either the sterile hands of the physician, or the sterile surface of the patient. The assistant had to be ready to catch the first drop of CSF, and each subsequent drop, moving their hands laterally to transition between tubes.
They had to take care to position their fingers in such a way so that the volume
2 marking on each tube was visible. Collection of CSF in this manner took between two and ten minutes to complete. Throughout this time the assistant must lean over the physician performing the procedure. Thus measurement of CSF neurotransmitters required a highly skilled physician and assistant, performing the lumbar puncture procedure very differently from the standard collection procedure that they were trained to perform. Prior to the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder it was difficult to collect the five samples of CSF without loosing a drop or more of CSF and thereby skewing the rostral to caudal gradient of the neurotransmitter concentration with the result of a false negative and a missed or inaccurate diagnosis. In addition, holding the five tubes in a row in one or both hands was technically difficult and there was risk of dropping one or more tubes. After collection, the tubes must be immediately placed in a hazard material ice bucket to prevent degradation of the neurotransmitters.
Description of Prior Art There are no known prior patented inventions to safely, accurately, and conveniently collect neurotransmitter fluid from pediatric patients. There is anecdotal evidence that various institutions across North America use a disposable cardboard tube holder or hold the five tubes in their hands.
Butler US 2002 0068882 describes a tube rack designed to hold the standard 10m1 sterile CSF collection tubes included in standard collection kits. Butler US
2002 0068882 is not suitable for the collection of CSF neurotransmitters in infants due to its large size, four-tube design instead of five, and design for larger tubes.
How the invention addresses a technical problem:
Prior to the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder a nurse or physician trainee attempted to hold all five Eppendorf tubes in their hands and leant over the physician performing the lumbar puncture. This technique resulted
Description of Prior Art There are no known prior patented inventions to safely, accurately, and conveniently collect neurotransmitter fluid from pediatric patients. There is anecdotal evidence that various institutions across North America use a disposable cardboard tube holder or hold the five tubes in their hands.
Butler US 2002 0068882 describes a tube rack designed to hold the standard 10m1 sterile CSF collection tubes included in standard collection kits. Butler US
2002 0068882 is not suitable for the collection of CSF neurotransmitters in infants due to its large size, four-tube design instead of five, and design for larger tubes.
How the invention addresses a technical problem:
Prior to the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder a nurse or physician trainee attempted to hold all five Eppendorf tubes in their hands and leant over the physician performing the lumbar puncture. This technique resulted
3 in frequent missed drops of CSF with the possibility of a missed diagnosis.
Many physicians performing the procedure were not adequately educated on the importance of standardized collection, and would improvise easier, safer collection techniques such as alternating CSF neurotransmitter tubes with standard sterile tubes, resulting in possible false negative results and missed diagnosis.
There are no tube racks currently manufactured that are designed to hold five 1.5m1 Eppendorf tubes with the minimum profile of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder that provides for the non-sterile tubes to be suspended in a sterile field by an assistant. This is of particular importance in the collection of neurotransmitter fluids from infants because their sterile field is very small. Currently existing tube holders are too large in height and width for use in the collection of neurotransmitter fluids from infants as they would touch the infant patient, sterile-gloved physician, or other elements of the sterile field.
The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder fills this void by providing a 2cm wide, 0.6cm high tube rack specifically designed to hold five 1.5m1 Eppendorf tubes with a handle on one end which can easily be manipulated by an assistant and its clear acrylic material ensures an accurate evaluation of the volume of CSF within each of the Eppendorf tubes. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder ensures that up to five samples of CSF are obtained consecutively without any missed drops of CSF. Advantageously, a physician can now perform, for the first time, CSF neurotransmitter collection independent of an assistant using the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder by "double gloving" (the practice of wearing two sterile gloves on each hand) and removing the first pair of gloves after handling of the non-sterile CSF
Neurotransmitter Tube Holder to continue with a safe sterile procedure. This was not possible without the CSF Neurotransmitter Tube Holder, as the physician performing the procedure could not assemble the five small tubes in their hands quickly enough after inserting the needle to safely collect the fluid. The
Many physicians performing the procedure were not adequately educated on the importance of standardized collection, and would improvise easier, safer collection techniques such as alternating CSF neurotransmitter tubes with standard sterile tubes, resulting in possible false negative results and missed diagnosis.
There are no tube racks currently manufactured that are designed to hold five 1.5m1 Eppendorf tubes with the minimum profile of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder that provides for the non-sterile tubes to be suspended in a sterile field by an assistant. This is of particular importance in the collection of neurotransmitter fluids from infants because their sterile field is very small. Currently existing tube holders are too large in height and width for use in the collection of neurotransmitter fluids from infants as they would touch the infant patient, sterile-gloved physician, or other elements of the sterile field.
The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder fills this void by providing a 2cm wide, 0.6cm high tube rack specifically designed to hold five 1.5m1 Eppendorf tubes with a handle on one end which can easily be manipulated by an assistant and its clear acrylic material ensures an accurate evaluation of the volume of CSF within each of the Eppendorf tubes. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder ensures that up to five samples of CSF are obtained consecutively without any missed drops of CSF. Advantageously, a physician can now perform, for the first time, CSF neurotransmitter collection independent of an assistant using the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder by "double gloving" (the practice of wearing two sterile gloves on each hand) and removing the first pair of gloves after handling of the non-sterile CSF
Neurotransmitter Tube Holder to continue with a safe sterile procedure. This was not possible without the CSF Neurotransmitter Tube Holder, as the physician performing the procedure could not assemble the five small tubes in their hands quickly enough after inserting the needle to safely collect the fluid. The
4 improvement in the collection of CSF for the purpose of testing neurotransmitter concentrations with the use of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder has been demonstrated at our institution and presented at scientific conferences. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder would improve the collection of CSF for the purpose of testing neurotransmitter concentrations in all pediatric hospitals across North America.
In the drawings and photographs, which form a part of this specification FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder with five Eppendorf tubes with caps placed in its rack and held by a gloved hand holding its handle. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder is held within the sterile field adjacent to the draped infant whose lumbar area is exposed for the lumbar puncture procedure.
A needle (such as a Quinke needle, known in the art) has been inserted in the infant's lumbar cistern for collection of the CSF neurotransmitters into the first of the five Eppendorf tubes.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, illustrating the CSF visualized within the tubes through the clear acrylic tube holder.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Transmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, securely positioned on the top of a hazard material ice bucket after the completion of CSF collection.
Detailed description of the invention FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Transmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment illustrating a gloved hand 16 holding the tube holder 20, which embodies herein a spinal fluid collection system for use by a medical professional for collecting, from a lumbar puncture into five Eppendorf tubes, well known in the art, multiple consecutive samples of CSF from a pediatric patient.
Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a preferred embodiment of tube holder 20, embodying herein a holder designed to stably hold five 1.5m1 Eppendorf tubes in an upright position. The tube holder 20 is made from transparent, lightweight acrylic.
The tube holder 20 has a handle 3, an allowance 2, and vertical chambers for tube insertion 6.
The tubes 8 are inserted at their midpoint of approximately 1.5cm through the vertical chambers 6, and the caps 9 are opened. The infant patient is draped with sterile drapes 15, which include an opening to expose the infant's lumbar area for lumbar puncture 12. The cranial 11 and caudal 10 portions of the infant patient remain undraped for monitoring of vital signs. A needle 13 is inserted into the lumbar cistern of the pediatric patient, and CSF 17 flows from the open end of the needle 14. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder is held by the gloved hand 16 and positioned underneath the needle 14 ensuring neither the Eppendorf tubes nor the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder touch the infant's lumbar area exposed for lumbar puncture 12 or the sterile drapes 15. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment is designed to minimize contact with the sterile drapes and with the infant's lumbar area exposed for lumbar puncture 12 with a width of 2cm. CSF is collected in consecutive tubes to the requisite volume demarcated by the CSF neurotransmitter analysis laboratory with a dark line 7.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment 20. FIG. 2 illustrates the five Eppendorf tube chamber holes 6 arranged in a row. The preferred width of the chamber holes for the stable, secure placement of the five Eppendorf tubes is 1cm. FIG. 2 also illustrates the preferred size and shape of the handle 3 of a length of 5-6cm to allow for the easy grip by an average hand of standard glove size 6-8 and to maintain a distance of at least 5cm of the hand from the sterile field 15. In addition the allowance 1 is sized 1-2cm to permit secure suspension over a receptacle such as a hazard material ice bucket. The distance 5 between holes 6 is 0.75-1.5cm to prevent breakage of the tube holder 20 with tube insertion and to minimize the distance between the tubes to consecutively collect CSF. The width 4 is 2cm to occupy a minimum of space within the sterile field.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment 20. FIG. 3 illustrates the five Eppendorf tubes 8 contained within the preferred embodiment. The tubes 8 have been filled with CSF 17 to the preferred volume marked with a dark line 7, visualized through the transparent acrylic of the tube holder 20. There is an inter-tube distance 0.75-1.5cm between the tube chamber holders 5 to accommodate the opened caps 9.
The height of the preferred embodiment 4 is 0.5-1 cm to prevent breakage and minimize refractive error of the CSF volumes 17 visualized through the holder 20.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment 20 placed on a hazard material bucket 19 containing ice 18 after CSF collection. The tubes 8 are inserted firmly at the midpoint 1.5cm height to ensure the ice 18 does not dislodge them. The caps 9 are secured to the tubes 8. The distance of 0.75 ¨ 1.5 cm between the holes 5 permits closure of the caps 9. The handle 3 and allowance 1 permit suspension of the holder 20 across the top of the hazard material ice bucket 19.
Summary of the invention According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention this Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder is used by a physician for the collection of CSF from pediatric patients for the testing of neurotransmitter concentrations.
The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder holds upright five 1.5ml non-sterile Eppendorf tubes, each tube is spaced a distance of 0.75 ¨ 1.5 cm apart for collecting up to five consecutive samples in a continuous manner without any missed drops of CSF that occur when multiple Eppendorf tubes are held by hand during a lumbar puncture and CSF collection procedure.
Advantageously, this improves the safety and ease of CSF collection for neurotransmitter analysis. In addition, for the first time, the physician performing the procedure could collect CSF for neurotransmitter analysis independently without a non-sterile assistant by wearing two pairs of sterile gloves and removing the contaminated pair after CSF neurotransmitter collection. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder's clear acrylic composition enables physicians to visualize the demarcations on the Eppendorf tubes for the collection of the requisite volumes of CSF. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder's handle can be held by either the right or left handed for increased flexibility and safety of use. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder's size minimizes the possibility of disruption of the small sterile field of the pediatric patient by adding no additional height to the dimensions of the Eppendorf tubes and by restricting its width to 2cm.
Advantageously, the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder rack's handle and allowance permit it to be secured across the top of a receptacle such as a hazard material ice bucket.
In the drawings and photographs, which form a part of this specification FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder with five Eppendorf tubes with caps placed in its rack and held by a gloved hand holding its handle. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder is held within the sterile field adjacent to the draped infant whose lumbar area is exposed for the lumbar puncture procedure.
A needle (such as a Quinke needle, known in the art) has been inserted in the infant's lumbar cistern for collection of the CSF neurotransmitters into the first of the five Eppendorf tubes.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, illustrating the CSF visualized within the tubes through the clear acrylic tube holder.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Transmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, securely positioned on the top of a hazard material ice bucket after the completion of CSF collection.
Detailed description of the invention FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Transmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment illustrating a gloved hand 16 holding the tube holder 20, which embodies herein a spinal fluid collection system for use by a medical professional for collecting, from a lumbar puncture into five Eppendorf tubes, well known in the art, multiple consecutive samples of CSF from a pediatric patient.
Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a preferred embodiment of tube holder 20, embodying herein a holder designed to stably hold five 1.5m1 Eppendorf tubes in an upright position. The tube holder 20 is made from transparent, lightweight acrylic.
The tube holder 20 has a handle 3, an allowance 2, and vertical chambers for tube insertion 6.
The tubes 8 are inserted at their midpoint of approximately 1.5cm through the vertical chambers 6, and the caps 9 are opened. The infant patient is draped with sterile drapes 15, which include an opening to expose the infant's lumbar area for lumbar puncture 12. The cranial 11 and caudal 10 portions of the infant patient remain undraped for monitoring of vital signs. A needle 13 is inserted into the lumbar cistern of the pediatric patient, and CSF 17 flows from the open end of the needle 14. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder is held by the gloved hand 16 and positioned underneath the needle 14 ensuring neither the Eppendorf tubes nor the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder touch the infant's lumbar area exposed for lumbar puncture 12 or the sterile drapes 15. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment is designed to minimize contact with the sterile drapes and with the infant's lumbar area exposed for lumbar puncture 12 with a width of 2cm. CSF is collected in consecutive tubes to the requisite volume demarcated by the CSF neurotransmitter analysis laboratory with a dark line 7.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment 20. FIG. 2 illustrates the five Eppendorf tube chamber holes 6 arranged in a row. The preferred width of the chamber holes for the stable, secure placement of the five Eppendorf tubes is 1cm. FIG. 2 also illustrates the preferred size and shape of the handle 3 of a length of 5-6cm to allow for the easy grip by an average hand of standard glove size 6-8 and to maintain a distance of at least 5cm of the hand from the sterile field 15. In addition the allowance 1 is sized 1-2cm to permit secure suspension over a receptacle such as a hazard material ice bucket. The distance 5 between holes 6 is 0.75-1.5cm to prevent breakage of the tube holder 20 with tube insertion and to minimize the distance between the tubes to consecutively collect CSF. The width 4 is 2cm to occupy a minimum of space within the sterile field.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment 20. FIG. 3 illustrates the five Eppendorf tubes 8 contained within the preferred embodiment. The tubes 8 have been filled with CSF 17 to the preferred volume marked with a dark line 7, visualized through the transparent acrylic of the tube holder 20. There is an inter-tube distance 0.75-1.5cm between the tube chamber holders 5 to accommodate the opened caps 9.
The height of the preferred embodiment 4 is 0.5-1 cm to prevent breakage and minimize refractive error of the CSF volumes 17 visualized through the holder 20.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder of the preferred embodiment 20 placed on a hazard material bucket 19 containing ice 18 after CSF collection. The tubes 8 are inserted firmly at the midpoint 1.5cm height to ensure the ice 18 does not dislodge them. The caps 9 are secured to the tubes 8. The distance of 0.75 ¨ 1.5 cm between the holes 5 permits closure of the caps 9. The handle 3 and allowance 1 permit suspension of the holder 20 across the top of the hazard material ice bucket 19.
Summary of the invention According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention this Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder is used by a physician for the collection of CSF from pediatric patients for the testing of neurotransmitter concentrations.
The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder holds upright five 1.5ml non-sterile Eppendorf tubes, each tube is spaced a distance of 0.75 ¨ 1.5 cm apart for collecting up to five consecutive samples in a continuous manner without any missed drops of CSF that occur when multiple Eppendorf tubes are held by hand during a lumbar puncture and CSF collection procedure.
Advantageously, this improves the safety and ease of CSF collection for neurotransmitter analysis. In addition, for the first time, the physician performing the procedure could collect CSF for neurotransmitter analysis independently without a non-sterile assistant by wearing two pairs of sterile gloves and removing the contaminated pair after CSF neurotransmitter collection. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder's clear acrylic composition enables physicians to visualize the demarcations on the Eppendorf tubes for the collection of the requisite volumes of CSF. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder's handle can be held by either the right or left handed for increased flexibility and safety of use. The Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder's size minimizes the possibility of disruption of the small sterile field of the pediatric patient by adding no additional height to the dimensions of the Eppendorf tubes and by restricting its width to 2cm.
Advantageously, the Cerebrospinal Fluid Neurotransmitter Tube Holder rack's handle and allowance permit it to be secured across the top of a receptacle such as a hazard material ice bucket.
Claims (7)
1. A support frame structured for use by a medical professional for collecting, from a lumbar puncture, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for neurotransmitter analysis comprising:
a. a frame to stably hold five 1.5ml Eppendorf tubes when holder is held in an upright position;
b. wherein said holder comprises a handle structured and arranged to assist single-handed manipulation of said holder by the medical professional during the collection of CSF for neurotransmitter analysis from said lumbar puncture into said tubes, when held by said holder, in a continuing manner;
c. wherein said holder comprises an allowance opposite the handle to assist suspension over a hazardous material ice bucket.
a. a frame to stably hold five 1.5ml Eppendorf tubes when holder is held in an upright position;
b. wherein said holder comprises a handle structured and arranged to assist single-handed manipulation of said holder by the medical professional during the collection of CSF for neurotransmitter analysis from said lumbar puncture into said tubes, when held by said holder, in a continuing manner;
c. wherein said holder comprises an allowance opposite the handle to assist suspension over a hazardous material ice bucket.
2. A support frame recited in claim 1 wherein said frame comprises five vertical chambers each structured and arranged to support one of the said tubes.
3. A support frame recited in claim 2 wherein said support frame is structured and arranged to stably hold five said tubes inserted halfway through their vertical height of 1.5cm when said holder is an upright position.
4. A support frame recited in claim 3 wherein:
a. said vertical chambers are arranged in a horizontal longitudinal row;
b. wherein said vertical chambers are arranged in a horizontal longitudinal row, each chamber is separated by the distance of 0.75-1.5cm for use with open and closed caps;
c. wherein said vertical chambers are a continuation of the holder between the handle and the allowance.
a. said vertical chambers are arranged in a horizontal longitudinal row;
b. wherein said vertical chambers are arranged in a horizontal longitudinal row, each chamber is separated by the distance of 0.75-1.5cm for use with open and closed caps;
c. wherein said vertical chambers are a continuation of the holder between the handle and the allowance.
5. A support frame recited in claim 4 wherein said frame has a width of 2 cm and a height of 0.6 cm.
6. A support frame recited in claim 1 wherein said frame is constructed from transparent material to enable the physician to see the demarcation on said tubes to obtain the requisite volume of CSF.
7. A support frame recited in claim 1 wherein said frame is constructed from acrylic to allow for cleaning of said frame and its reuse.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2883794A CA2883794C (en) | 2015-03-03 | 2015-03-03 | Cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitter tube holder |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2883794A CA2883794C (en) | 2015-03-03 | 2015-03-03 | Cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitter tube holder |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2883794A1 CA2883794A1 (en) | 2016-09-03 |
| CA2883794C true CA2883794C (en) | 2016-11-22 |
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2883794A Active CA2883794C (en) | 2015-03-03 | 2015-03-03 | Cerebrospinal fluid neurotransmitter tube holder |
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| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2883794C (en) |
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2015
- 2015-03-03 CA CA2883794A patent/CA2883794C/en active Active
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| CA2883794A1 (en) | 2016-09-03 |
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