Chilled Biopsy Needle Cooling to Reduce Bleeding and Pain

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Solution Overview

Problem

Biopsy procedures, particularly stereotactic and MRI biopsies, often cause significant patient discomfort due to bleeding, hematoma, and pain, necessitating improved methods to minimize these complications.

Innovation Solution

A biopsy system incorporating a chilled biopsy needle with a thermal cooling device and a temperature transfer member to reduce tissue trauma by maintaining the needle at a lower temperature, thereby minimizing bleeding and pain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If biopsy procedures are performed using standard needles, then tissue sampling can be obtained, but bleeding and pain occur during the procedure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebleeding and painVSAvoidtissue sampling effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The biopsy needle is cooled to a specific temperature range (below body temperature) to induce vasoconstriction and reduce tissue trauma. This parameter change (temperature) directly addresses the harmful effects of bleeding and pain while maintaining the needle's ability to obtain tissue samples effectively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces the standard mechanical biopsy needle with a thermally modified needle that uses thermal energy (cooling) to achieve hemostatic effects. This substitution of mechanical action with thermal action reduces bleeding and pain during the biopsy procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Quantity of substance

If biopsy procedures are extended to remove larger volumes of tissue, then more comprehensive sampling is achieved, but bleeding and procedure time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetissue volume removedVSAvoidprocedure time
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By cooling the biopsy needle to reduced temperatures, the procedure enables removal of larger tissue volumes with minimized bleeding. The temperature parameter modification allows for extended tissue sampling without proportionally increasing bleeding complications or procedure time, as the cold needle promotes hemostasis during the extended sampling process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If standard biopsy needles are used, then the procedure is simple, but patient discomfort and bleeding occur

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocedure simplicityVSAvoidpatient discomfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention substitutes a simple mechanical needle with a thermally modified needle that incorporates cooling technology. While this adds thermal complexity, the core biopsy operation remains simple, and the added thermal function actively reduces patient discomfort and bleeding without significantly complicating the overall procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

The chilled biopsy needle reduces bleeding and pain during procedures, enhances tissue sample quality, and expedites the overall procedure time, improving the patient and clinician experience.

Implementation Method 1

The elongate biopsy needle is made of a thermally conductive material... a temperature transfer member that extends between the proximal end portion of the elongate biopsy needle and the thermal cooling device

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

WO 2008/023193 A2 discloses a medical device for sampling biological material... an elongate housing; a probe for sampling the biological material slideably mounted within the elongate housing... wherein said elongate housing and said probe are made from materials having different Peltier potentials such that supply of current from the current supply generates a Peltier effect between said elongate housing and said probe

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPeltier effect: Peltier Effect

Data Source

PatentEP4280969B1Biopsy system and device having a chilled biopsy needle
Publication Date: 2025.12.03 BARD PERIPHERAL VASCULAR INC
  • EP4280969B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4280969B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4280969B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A biopsy device having an elongate biopsy needle and a thermal cooling device. The biopsy device includes an elongate biopsy needle that has a proximal end portion, an intermediate portion, and a distal end portion. The elongate biopsy needle is made of a thermally conductive material. The biopsy device includes a thermally conductive mechanical member that extends between the proximal end portion of the elongate biopsy needle and the thermal cooling device. The thermally conductive mechanical member has a first end and a second end. The biopsy device includes a first thermo-mechanical coupler that connects the first end of the thermally conductive mechanical member to the thermal cooling device and a second thermo-mechanical coupler that connects the second end of the thermally conductive mechanical member to the proximal end portion of the elongate biopsy needle.