Fine needle insertion method for minimising deflection in lower abdomen: In vivo evaluation

Area of Science:

• Medical Robotics
• Surgical Navigation
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Fine needle insertion in the lower abdomen presents challenges due to complex tissue deflections and limited imaging feedback.
• Accurate needle placement is critical for effective diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in this region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust approach for planning a straight needle insertion path.
• To minimize needle deflection during abdominal procedures using preoperative imaging and a novel control strategy.

Main Methods:

• Proposed two approaches: vibration and rotation-assisted needle insertion control, and preoperative insertion path planning using CT imaging.
• Evaluated the methods through an in vivo experiment on a Landrace mini-pig, comparing deflection with and without the control strategy and assessing path planning accuracy.

Main Results:

• The insertion control strategy significantly reduced needle deflection when used with the optimal insertion path determined by preoperative planning.
• The proposed method demonstrated a strong correlation between planned path scores and actual needle deflection.

Conclusions:

• The developed method effectively decreases fine needle deflections in the lower abdomen.
• This approach holds potential for improving the accuracy and safety of abdominal procedures, potentially reducing the need for real-time imaging.