Robots Performing Blood Draws May Soon Appear in Clinical Practice

How to Increase Venipuncture Efficiency?

Although blood draws are a routine procedure for experienced healthcare workers with a very high success rate for primary punctures, they can be significantly complicated in certain individuals. This includes, for example, obese or dehydrated individuals or those with chronic illnesses. In such cases, the success rate of venipuncture drops to approximately 73%. This raises the question of whether modern technologies could simplify this procedure, reduce the risk of complications, and increase its efficiency.

Technological solutions aimed at increasing venipuncture efficiency include devices operating on the principle of augmented reality, which allow for the visualization of the venous system on the skin surface. Another solution is the complete automation of the blood draw process using specially designed and constructed robots.

A Brief Look into the Past

Robotic systems for blood draws are not as new as they may seem at first glance. The American company Veebot System introduced a blood-drawing robotic system 10 years ago. Since then, the Veebot robot has undergone numerous tests, indicating it can identify a suitable vein for puncture with 83% accuracy, comparable to a skilled professional.

In 2019, Leipheimer et al. published a study where the robot even matched and, in certain parameters, surpassed the human expert. The study involved 31 patients, with the robotic system achieving an overall venipuncture success rate of 87%, and 97% in individuals with easily accessible peripheral veins. The average procedure time was 93 ± 30 seconds, which is quite impressive for a robot.

How the Device Works

The operation principle of an automated robot can be illustrated using the Veebot system. The patient places their arm on a soft pad through a circular opening with an inflatable cuff and grasps a handle to ensure arm stability. Once activated, the robotic arm first uses infrared light to locate a suitable vein for puncture. A connected ultrasonic probe then measures blood flow in the vein to confirm its suitability for a blood draw.

The robot subsequently disinfects the skin and inserts the needle into the vein. Blood flows into a rubber tube that can be connected to blood collection tubes. Once the required amount of blood is drawn, the robot retracts the needle, and the robotic arm moves away, allowing the healthcare personnel to cover the puncture site. The entire process takes the robot approximately one minute.

Conclusion

Skeptics might argue that this is a distant future, but the opposite is true. The concept is becoming reality. The company Vitestro has developed a system that has performed 1500 blood draws on more than a thousand patients. In 2023, the company is launching a pivotal clinical trial and expects the device to be introduced to the European Union market in 2024.

(holi)

Sources:
1. Would you let a robot take your blood sample? The Medical Futurist, 2022 Jun 16. Available at: https://medicalfuturist.com/would-you-let-a-robot-take-your-blood-sample
2. Leipheimer J. M., Balter M. L., Chen A. I. et al. First-in-human evaluation of a hand-held automated venipuncture device for rapid venous blood draws. Technology (Singap World Sci) 2019; 7 (3–4): 98–107, doi: 10.1142/S2339547819500067.
3. Vitestro unveils autonomous blood drawing device, combining artificial intelligence, ultrasound imaging and robotics. Vitestro, 2022 May 30. Available at: https://vitestro.com/vitestro-unveils-autonomous-blood-drawing-device-combining-artificial-intelligence-ultrasound-imaging-and-robotics/