Performance evaluation of endoscopic ultrasonography needles: Experimental study

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Endoscopy
• Medical Device Technology

Background:

• Procedural performance of needles for endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration/biopsy (EUS-FNA/B) requires clarification.
• Bench simulation is a viable method for comparing EUS-FNA/B needles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the procedural performance of six different 22-gauge EUS-FNA/B needles.
• To identify specific characteristics of each needle type relevant to clinical application.

Main Methods:

• Bench simulation comparing six 22-gauge FNA/B needles.
• Evaluation of resistance forces, needle tip integrity, leakage, puncture tract characteristics, sample yield, deflection angles, and deformation.

Main Results:

• Needle performance varied; ProCore needles showed highest resistance, Expect needles lowest.
• TopGain needles yielded larger samples; FNB needles produced larger, more core samples than FNA needles.
• EZShot3 Plus needles demonstrated greatest deflection range and lowest deformation.

Conclusions:

• Significant performance differences exist among the six EUS-FNA/B needles evaluated.
• Knowledge of individual needle characteristics aids in selecting the optimal device for specific EUS-FNA/B procedures.