Royal Preston Hospital sees vein finder donated to ease stress of chemotherapy patients

Some of the Rosemere team with the new kit Pic: Rosemere Cancer Foundation

Rosemere Cancer Foundation have recently equipped a vein finder device for cancer patients.

The device is made to aid staff trying to cannulate patients, who have been in chemotherapy or have “difficult veins” to avoid multiple attempts of inserting a cannula.

The vein finder, which costs £3,000 as a handheld device that is hovered over the patient’s arm or hand, uses infrared technology to show staff where veins are under the skin.

This is made specifically for radiotherapy patients, with most having to undergo a CT scan where a dye is injected into a vein via a cannula.

The device in action Pic: Rosemere Cancer Foundation

The dye helps internal organs show up more clearly in the scan images, however those with difficult veins or damaged veins from chemotherapy, it will be difficult for the staff to locate.

The device is set to make patients’ radiotherapy planning scan less stressful after the Rosemere Cancer Foundation’s donation.

Radiotherapy pre-treatment leader Olivia Kneale, who asked Rosemere Cancer Foundation for the £3,520 for the device and a stand to hold it, explained: “We cannulate approximately 36 patients a week.

“Based on our data, a quarter or 25 per cent of these patients needed multiple cannulation attempts.

“It will also help us be more time efficient and save the department more than £3,000 a year in wasted cannulas.”

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