Needle Guide Friction Reduction Utilizing Contact Surface Structure

Prostate cancer ranks as the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality among males. A template guided core biopsy procedure is an essential component of prostate cancer diagnosis. Various factors influence the quality of the histological sample that is produced from the biopsy, including tissue fragmentation, needle insertion speed, needle deflection, and sheath cutting speed. In instances where a biopsy core fails to meet established clinical standards, an additional core extraction is necessary, resulting in heightened patient discomfort and an increased risk of infection. The objective of this study is to examine alternative configurations for the needle guide in order to optimize for the reduction of needle guide frictional forces while providing adequate guidance towards a target. A simulation of this interaction using different configurations of the needle guide was designed using SIMULA Abaqus, and a Finite Element Analysis was performed to observe the friction force between the needle and guide. The results showed that configurations with contact points oriented parallel to the direction of insertion exhibited the least recorded frictional forces. The study demonstrated that configurations which provided decreased contact surface compared to the control needle guide resulted in lower friction force. These findings advocate for the optimization of the conventional biopsy needle guide to reduce the contact area between the needle and guide inner surface, potentially reducing the number of passes required to obtain a histologically viable core specimen and mitigating the risk of patient infection.