Biopsy Needle Cradle with Axial Teeth for Adhesive-Free Tissue Transfer
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current core biopsy needle sets face challenges in maintaining the structural integrity and size of tissue samples during extraction and processing, leading to unreliable and reproducible pathology assessments due to sample distortion and fragmentation.
Innovation Solution
The novel core biopsy needle features a cradle with axial teeth to collect and dislodge tissue samples onto an electrostatically charged or fibrous strip, minimizing distortion and allowing for efficient transfer without adhesives, and the strip is designed to fit within industry-standard cassettes for washing and wax-embedding, preserving sample integrity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional foam pad or paper swiping method is used to dislodge tissue sample, then tissue sample can be transferred from needle, but sample structural integrity deteriorates and sample distortion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specialized transfer strip as an intermediary device between the biopsy needle and the tissue sample. This strip is specifically designed with controlled adhesion properties to gently capture and transfer the tissue sample without the mechanical stress and distortion caused by traditional foam pad swiping or paper techniques, thereby maintaining sample structural integrity while enabling reliable transfer
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the adhesion parameters of the transfer strip to achieve optimal tissue sample transfer. By controlling the adhesion strength through material selection and surface treatment, the strip can securely hold the delicate tissue sample during transfer while allowing easy release onto the collection medium, preventing both sample loss and distortion
2Ease of operation
If tissue sample is dislodged on known membrane surfaces, then sample can be transferred, but sample remains on membrane during processing and requires membrane embedding which complicates slicing and increases equipment wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a disposable transfer strip that is used once and then discarded. This single-use approach eliminates the need for complex membrane removal and re-embedding procedures, as the strip is simply discarded after transferring the sample. This reduces device complexity and equipment wear while maintaining ease of sample transfer
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential function of the membrane (sample transfer) while eliminating its problematic aspects (sample retention during processing). The transfer strip performs the transfer function and then is removed entirely, allowing the sample to be processed independently on standard embedding media without membrane interference
3Device complexity
If standard biopsy needle with flat bottom notch is used, then needle structure is simple, but tissue sample distortion increases during dislodging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality modification to the needle notch by adding controlled surface texture or micro-structures only in the specific region where tissue contact occurs. This localized modification provides enhanced tissue grip during extraction while maintaining the overall simplicity of the needle structure and not affecting other functional areas
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in less fragmentation, straighter, flatter samples that better replicate their original state, facilitating faster and more reliable grossing, easier embedding, and improved slicing quality for better diagnostic image quality.
Implementation Method 1
it is sufficiently charged electrostatically to attract the tissue sample from the biopsy needle and retain it without a need for adhesives
Data Source
AI summary
Biopsy tissue sample processing method and system configured to collect a tissue sample in a cradle at a distal portion of a biopsy needle. The cradle has an axially extending floor and two rows of teeth that extend up from sides of the cradle bottom. In each row, the teeth are axially spaced from each other. Dislodging the tissue sample from said cradle involves lightly touching, in a touch-and-go freehand motion of the cradle relative to the strip, an exposed side of the tissue sample in the cradle to a strip that has a surface configured to dislodge the tissue sample from the cradle without a need for an adhesive The cradle teeth protect the tissue sample from radial compression beyond a threshold in said touch-and-go motion and otherwise help maintain sample integrity.