A nurse scans a patient's veins with a donated near-infrared device in a hospital in Jingzhou City, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 13, 2020. (Photo provided to Xinhua)
With these near-infrared devices, medics in Hubei can quickly locate patients' veins.
XI'AN, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Forty-seven near-infrared devices that can help medical staff locate veins in patients quickly and easily were sent to hospitals in Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak in central China's Hubei Province.
The handheld devices worth 5.65 million yuan (about 809,000 U.S. dollars) were developed and donated by Vivolight Medical Device & Technology Co., Ltd. based in Xi'an, capital of Shannxi Province. They can find the veins under the patient's skin and project a map onto the surface, showing the locations and depths of blood vessels.
A nurse scans a patient's veins with a donated near-infrared device in a hospital in Jingzhou City, central China's Hubei Province, Feb. 13, 2020. (Photo provided to Xinhua)
According to the company, the medical devices were used by Chinese medical experts in the fight against Ebola in Africa in 2014.
The company decided to donate the devices after learning that many of the medical staff have difficulty finding veins in patients when wearing heavy protective suits.
The first batch of 20 vein scanners had been sent to designated hospitals in Wuhan and medical staff of two medical teams began using them in treatment. Twenty-seven scanners will arrive soon, said the company.
More high tech products, including gene tests and thermal monitors, will be used in the fight against the epidemic. ■
