Jennifer Matthews: Nurse Lisa Speney, routinely pokes and prods patients who need chemotherapy or other drugs, but she'd welcome anything that would help her find the right spot.
Lisa Speney: A nice big X-ray machine that you can put over someone's arm so you know exactly where to go.
Jennifer Matthews: Now, a new device called the Sonic Flashlight can help. It allows doctors to see inside a patient's skin and locate their target vein.
George Stetten: You look through the mirror at the patient, and you can see a reflective display floating inside the patient.
Jennifer Matthews: The device is mounted on the outside of an ultrasound wand. The mirror creates a virtual image of the patient's vein. It can also be used to direct needles during biopsies.
Another tool, called the microdebrider, can be used to remove tumors or other airway blockages in the throat. Doctor William Lunn., says it's safer than the standard cutting tools.
William Lunn: It's smaller and more precise instrument that allows doctors to have a better view when they are doing airway endoscopes surgery.
Jennifer Matthews: The device has a spinning blade that cuts tissue and sucks it out. It gave Michael Jones his voice back after cartilage in his airways made it hard to breathe.
Henrietta Jones: He didn't talk much because he says he sounded like a robot and didn't want the children to laugh at him.
Jennifer Matthews: Now, he's feeling much better.
Michael: Keep your head up and don't give up hope.
Jennifer Matthews: And with new tools like these, many patients won't have to give up. This is Jennifer Matthews reporting.
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