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Minimally disruptive needle insertion: a biologically inspired solution.

Alexander Leibinger¹, Matthew J Oldfield¹, Ferdinando Rodriguez Y Baena¹

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering , Imperial College London , Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ , UK.

Interface Focus

|June 9, 2016

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This study introduces a novel, biologically inspired steerable needle that significantly reduces tissue disruption during medical insertions. By mimicking wasp burrowing, this method enhances safety and accuracy in percutaneous interventions.

Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Robotics
Surgical Innovation

Background:

Soft tissue mobility during medical procedures leads to inaccurate needle insertions, especially with flexible needles.
Pre-operative plans often deviate from the intra-operative reality due to tissue motion, impacting procedural accuracy.
Existing methods for reducing tissue motion primarily focus on external manipulation, neglecting needle actuation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and evaluate a novel, biologically inspired steerable needle insertion method.
To reduce the disruptiveness of needle insertions in soft tissues by mimicking natural burrowing mechanisms.
To improve targeting accuracy and safety in percutaneous interventions.

Main Methods:

A biologically inspired steerable needle, mimicking ovipositing wasps, was designed and utilized for insertion.

Keywords:

biologically inspired robotics image correlation minimally invasive surgery soft tissue tissue disruption tool–tissue interactions

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Internal three-dimensional displacements and strains at the needle-tissue interface were measured using a scanning laser-based image correlation technique.

A soft tissue phantom was used to quantify the effects of the novel insertion method compared to conventional techniques.

Main Results:

The biologically inspired needle insertion method reduced overall displacements by 30% compared to conventional methods.
Strains in the needle vicinity were reduced by 41% using the novel insertion technique.
The study demonstrated that needle insertion can be made significantly less disruptive to surrounding tissues.

Conclusions:

The biologically inspired steerable needle offers a less disruptive method for percutaneous interventions.
This approach has the potential to significantly enhance both the safety and targeting accuracy of medical procedures.
Mimicking natural burrowing mechanisms provides an effective strategy for improving needle-based interventions in soft tissues.