Smoothscan
Ultrasound practitioners have a remarkably high instance of repetitive strain injury (RSI). This affects 80% + of sonographers worldwide. The effects include pain in the shoulder, neck, back and wrist. Over time these injuries get worse and require time out resulting in staff shortages. Many must work part-time or retire early because of this.
SmoothScan reduces the load on sonographers by holding the ultrasound probe against the patient and reducing the force that they must apply. It is designed primarily to be used for echocardiograms but can also be used for other abdominal scans. The device can be used with existing ultrasound machines.
A belt is placed around the patient. The two ends of the belt are attached using the snap buckle. The belt can then be tightened and loosened as desired. A part is attached to the ultrasound probe. The shape and size of this part vary with the probe being used. Once the mount is on the probe, it can have the ultrasound gel applied to it and be attached to the patient. To attach it to the patient, the probe mount slides along the track and clicks into place. Once pivoted down, the scan can begin.
SmoothScan allows for dynamic scanning with a large range of motion available. Users require far less force to hold the probe in place when scanning and can easily rest while the scan is taking place. This reduces the chance of injuries occurring and lessens the impact of pe-existing injuries. The belt also supplies up to 2kgs of force through the probe into the patient, reducing the amount the user must push.
SmoothScan is a patent pending product
