US 6283942 B1 abstract disclosed is an apparatus and method for guiding a needle into a blood vessel of a patient the apparatus is removably attached to a patient 39 s arm and uses the returns from transducer arrays to locate the blood vessel the needle positioned on the apparatus is maneuvered in accordance with the transducer returns to ensure accurate penetration of the blood vessel application_number US 119497 A description reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherever possible the same reference numbers are used to refer to the same or like parts a needle insertion guide 10 illustrated in fig1 3 aids in inserting a needle into a vessel 11 needle insertion guide 10 includes a lateral slide 15 and a main support housing 20 which are secured to a patient by a securing strap 25 securing strap 25 can be a flexible strap made of for example nylon which is closed with velcro u00ae snaps etc and can be of variable lengths to attach to different parts of the patient securing strap 25 can also have a fixed shape such as a metallic or plastic bracelet lateral slide 15 has.