I have been inserting picc lines for the past 4 years using the sonosite ultrasound and have had no problems lining up the vein using the ultrasound probe. I am just starting to use the zonare ultrasound and am having great difficulty as when you place the probe on the arm, and the guide on the screen notes the probe has the vein centered, when I place the needle to access the vein, I am sometimes way off course (either to the right or to the left of the vein).Â
Does anyone have any experience with the zonare ultrasound? Some of my coworkers place the probe on the arm, then use gentle pressure tapping on the arm with the end of the filter straw that is used to draw up the lidocaine in order to attempt to determine vein center.....this seems not to be right given the fact that this is a very expensive ultrasound and from what I read is supposed to be state of the art.
 Any information or help would be greatly appreciated.
As we are thinking of trialing the Zonare (currently have Sonosite I-Look) I'm interested in what Zonare has said about this.
Does the company have good follow-up with you?
thanks
The zonare rep was very nice and helpful. Unfortunately the probe does not have the center designated like the sonosite. She did mark the probe with a sharpie marker and that was helpful as it helped to center the vein. That is the only thing I don't like about it.
I found that magic markers washed off with cleaning. Try black nail polish. It makes a nice "V" shaped marker especially if some masking tape is used. The "V" is crisp and sharp. (Don't ask where or how I got some black nail polish. :)
Paul
Have you tried a product called Shadow Guide?
http://www.vascularmapping.com/aim_shadow-guides.swf