Title: A model of optimising the needle insertion through deflection studies

Authors: Soo Leong Foo; Ka Wei Ng; Jin Quan Goh; Poh Hua Ting; Teck Kheng Lee; Kesavan Esuvaranathan; Qing Hui Wu; Edmund Chiong

Addresses: Institute of Technical Education, College Central, 567720, Singapore ' Institute of Technical Education, College Central, 567720, Singapore ' Institute of Technical Education, College Central, 567720, Singapore ' Institute of Technical Education, College Central, 567720, Singapore ' Institute of Technical Education, College Central, 567720, Singapore ' National University Hospital, 119228, Singapore ' National University Hospital, 119228, Singapore ' National University Hospital, 119228, Singapore

Abstract: Needle insertion for minimally-invasive surgery is a technique explored and studied for percutaneous procedure, diagnosis, localised therapeutic drug-delivery, and biopsy. While the instruments and techniques determine the success of every surgical procedure, minimal attention was given to the medium, interaction between tissue and needle, development tools and surgical techniques. This paper addresses the interaction by studying the needle deflection during insertion into porcine back tissue and simulated flesh-like tissue (gelatine). A customised testing set-up measures and quantifies these interactions. Needle deflection magnitude and insertion forces were measured and correlated to define the bio-mechanical properties of back abdomen tissue. Needle deflections were measured for gelatine analogues developed to model consistency of the tissues in the back lumbar region. Mathematical two-dimensional (2D) force-model was developed to provide understanding on the mechanics of needle insertion. This study was the first-step in developing a deflection feedback controlled surgical instrument in the needle-assisted percutaneous operation.

Keywords: needle insertion; needle deflection; modelling; porcine tissue; gelatine; optimisation; minimally-invasive surgery; insertion forces; biomechanics; back abdomen tissue; back lumbar region; mathematical modelling; insertion mechanics; feedback control; surgical instrument control; needle-assisted percutaneous operations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBET.2014.065654

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, 2014 Vol.16 No.2, pp.97 - 112

Received: 05 Mar 2014
Accepted: 23 Jun 2014
Published online: 25 Apr 2015 *

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