[Development of Magnetic Anchoring Lung Nodule Positioning Device]

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Biomedical Engineering
• Thoracic Surgery

Background:

• Accurate localization of small pulmonary nodules is crucial for effective surgical resection.
• Current methods for lung nodule positioning can be invasive and prone to displacement.
• Minimally invasive thoracic surgery requires reliable pre-operative nodule targeting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel magnetic anchoring device for precise lung nodule positioning.
• To assess the efficacy of this device in facilitating accurate targeting during thoracoscopic surgery.
• To overcome limitations of existing lung nodule localization techniques.

Main Methods:

• A magnetic anchoring device comprising target magnets, an anchor magnet, a coaxial puncture needle, and a navigation template was designed.
• Under CT guidance, target magnets were inserted adjacent to the lung nodule.
• The mutual attraction of magnets provided stable fixation, and the anchor magnet facilitated intraoperative localization during thoracoscopic surgery.

Main Results:

• The device achieved stable fixation of magnets within lung tissue, preventing movement.
• Accurate pre-operative positioning of the target lung nodule was demonstrated.
• The magnetic system enabled precise nodule localization during thoracoscopic procedures.

Conclusions:

• The magnetic anchoring lung nodule positioning device offers a new, accurate method for targeting small pulmonary nodules.
• This non-contact magnetic technology simplifies the pre-surgical localization process.
• The device facilitates precise nodule localization and rapid surgical removal, potentially improving surgical efficiency and outcomes.