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Needle insertion with duty-cycled rotation into multiple media.

Craig A Lehocky¹, Cameron N Riviere

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. calehocky@cmu.edu

Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference

|February 1, 2013

Summary

Researchers explored steering flexible needles for medical procedures. They found a direct link between the duty cycle of needle rotation and its curvature, enabling predictable steering for reaching deep anatomical targets.

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Area of Science:

Medical Devices
Robotics
Biomedical Engineering

Background:

Flexible needles offer potential for minimally invasive procedures.
Steering needles requires precise control to navigate complex anatomy.
Previous work focused on duty-cycled insertion and rotation for needle steering.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of needle material, radius, duty cycle, and tissue stiffness on needle curvature.
To develop a predictive model for controlling needle path during insertion.

Main Methods:

Bevel-tipped needles were inserted into a medium while rotating at specific duty cycles.
Needle curvature was measured under varying conditions of needle properties and tissue stiffness.
A mathematical model was formulated based on experimental observations.

Main Results:

A linear relationship was observed between the duty cycle and needle curvature.
This relationship held true across different needle materials, radii, and tissue stiffnesses.
The developed model accurately predicts the duty cycle required for a desired curvature.

Conclusions:

Needle steering can be precisely controlled by adjusting the duty cycle of rotation.
The findings facilitate the development of advanced robotic systems for targeted medical interventions.
A predictive model aids in achieving accurate needle placement in deep anatomical structures.