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Compact 3D-Printed Active Flexible Needle for Percutaneous Procedures.

Zahra K Varnamkhasti¹, Bardia Konh¹

¹Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI, USA.

Surgical Innovation

|August 4, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a 3D-printed steerable needle to improve cancer diagnosis and treatment by enhancing needle placement accuracy. The active needle demonstrated significant angular deflection, aiding targeted procedures like prostate brachytherapy.

Keywords:

biomedical engineering image-guided surgery robotic surgery

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Area of Science:

Medical Devices
Robotics in Medicine
Surgical Oncology

Background:

Needle-based interventions are crucial for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Current limitations include poor needle placement and tumor visualization, impacting clinical outcomes.
Despite advances in medical imaging, traditional needle designs remain unchanged.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a novel wire-driven, 3D steerable, 3D-printed active needle.
To enhance needle guidance within tissue for improved accuracy toward target lesions.
To overcome the limitations of conventional rigid needles in minimally invasive procedures.

Main Methods:

Development of a 3D-printed active needle with 3 embedded wire-driven tendons.
Integration of a programmed motorized control unit for needle manipulation.
Feasibility testing using a tissue phantom to evaluate needle steerability.

Main Results:

The active needle achieved an average 3D angular deflection of approximately 11 degrees.
Demonstrated successful manipulation and guidance within a simulated tissue environment.
The steerable design offers potential for improved trajectory control.

Conclusions:

The 3D steerable needle represents a significant advancement over traditional rigid needles.
The demonstrated angular deflection is sufficient to facilitate procedures like prostate brachytherapy using a curvilinear approach.
This technology has the potential to improve clinical outcomes in needle-based cancer interventions.