Capstone Innovations: Spinal Vision

Spinal Vision is a new image-guidance system allowing clinicians to perform delicate lumbar puncture procedures more safely and with less pain for the patient. During the spinal tap procedure, a clinician inserts a needle into a specific space between vertebrae in the lower back to withdraw cerebrospinal fluid to diagnose serious infections, like meningitis, or certain conditions of the nervous system.

Carle Illinois College of Medicine physician-innovators Rachel Mann, Bridget White, and Morgan Lewis created Spinal Vision to address the ‘blind’ nature of the process which sometimes requires multiple insertions to redirect the needle. “Our solution to decreasing the frequency of traumatic taps in lumbar puncture is an ultrasound probe with an incorporated lumbar puncture needle cannula that utilizes imaging software to display its targeted path,” Mann explained. “A spinal needle could be loaded into the device and then advanced along a projected path visualized by ultrasound,” she said.

The design mimics the current imaging technology used to conduct prostate needle biopsies that sample prostate masses.

Most lumbar punctures are performed for diagnostic purposes, but the procedure may also be used to inject chemotherapy drugs, anesthetics, or other medications. Patients sometimes experience headaches and lower back pain following the procedure.

Mann says the team aims to decrease complications and procedure time while also making it more comfortable for the patient.

The Spinal Vision team worked with undergraduate students in the Departments of Bioengineering and Mechanical Science & Engineering, as well as Gies College of Business MBA candidates John Lynch and Ahmed Elnenaey in developing the Spinal Vision design concept.