Abstract: An apparatus and method for minimizing a subject's pain perception during an invasive medical procedure, such as blood sampling and the like. The apparatus can include a receiving surface constructed to contact a portion of the subject's skin and a vibratory mechanism associated with the receiving surface such that the vibratory mechanism transmits vibrations through the receiving surface and to the subject's skin. An invasive sharp can be substantially permanently supported and moveably disposed with respect to the receiving surface such that the invasive sharp reciprocates between a first position in which the sharp is spaced from the receiving surface, away from the subject's skin, and a second position in which at least a portion of the sharp protrudes through an opening in the receiving surface.

Abstract: An ultrasonic probe for imaging tissues from inside a patient's body cavity is disclosed. The ultrasonic probe includes an end portion having a back and forth pivotable transducer assembly for transmitting an ultrasonic beam. The transducer assembly is supported by a silicon-containing support about a cavity and includes a transducer block on a base layer connected to the support via one or more twistable or flexible support arms. The transducer block includes a backing layer, a transducer layer on said backing layer, and an acoustic matching layer on the transducer layer. A bottom electrode in the transducer block penetrates the backing layer to connect electrically to a bottom face of the transducer layer to a conductor which is on a first face of the block. A top electrode penetrates the acoustic matching layer to connect electrically to a top face of the transducer layer to a conductor on a second face of the block for activating the transducer layer.