Slit Biopsy Needle Structure for Flexible Navigation and Rigid Penetration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing minimally invasive medical instruments face challenges in navigating tight anatomical passageways while ensuring sufficient rigidity for precise deployment, particularly in procedures like biopsies where a flexible yet rigid distal tip is required.

Innovation Solution

A biopsy needle system with a design featuring a flexible portion and a rigid distal section, incorporating slits for flexibility and a jacket for fluid containment, allowing it to navigate narrow passages while maintaining rigidity for tissue penetration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid needle is used for biopsy, then structural strength and stability are improved, but the needle cannot accommodate flexible catheters or allow fluid passage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle strengthVSAvoidadaptability to flexible catheters

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is divided into two distinct segments: a rigid needle body providing structural strength and stability, and a flexible jacket extending into the lumen providing flexibility and fluid passage capability. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The needle combines different material properties in a single structure - a rigid needle body material providing strength and stability, and a flexible jacket material providing flexibility and fluid passage. This composite approach allows the needle to simultaneously achieve both rigidity for penetration and flexibility for catheter accommodation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Manufacturing precision

If a rigid needle structure is used, then manufacturing precision and structural integrity are improved, but the needle cannot allow fluid passage or accommodate flexible components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveneedle manufacturing precisionVSAvoidfluid passage capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is segmented into a rigid body portion that maintains manufacturing precision and structural integrity, and a flexible jacket portion that enables fluid passage and flexible catheter accommodation. The segmentation allows the rigid portion to be manufactured with high precision while the flexible portion provides the necessary fluid passage capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A flexible jacket in the form of a thin film or shell is integrated into the needle structure. This flexible jacket allows fluid passage and accommodates flexible catheters while the rigid needle body maintains manufacturing precision and structural integrity. The flexible jacket acts as a barrier that can be penetrated by flexible components while allowing fluid flow.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Adaptability or versatility

If the needle lumen is made flexible to accommodate catheters, then adaptability is improved, but the needle loses structural strength and stability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecatheter accommodationVSAvoidneedle stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The needle is segmented such that the rigid needle body maintains structural strength and stability for penetration, while the flexible jacket extending into the lumen provides flexibility for catheter accommodation. This segmentation ensures that the rigid portion bears the load for stability while the flexible portion accommodates catheters without compromising overall needle strength.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The needle uses composite materials combining a rigid needle body material for structural strength and stability with a flexible jacket material for catheter accommodation. This composite structure allows the needle to simultaneously achieve both stability for penetration and flexibility for flexible component accommodation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

4Adaptability or versatility

If a flexible jacket is added to the needle, then fluid passage and flexibility are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefluid passage capabilityVSAvoidneedle structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible jacket is merged with the needle body structure, with the jacket extending into the needle lumen and integrating with the rigid needle components. This merging allows the flexible jacket to be incorporated into the needle assembly without requiring separate, complex mechanisms, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining fluid passage capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4417138B1Pliant biopsy needle system

Publication Date: 2026.05.20 INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS INC

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Figure 2A
Figure 2B~11

AI summary

A medical tool comprises an elongated tubular section having a body wall including a plurality of slits and a rigid needle tip coupled to a distal end of the tubular section. The tool further includes a flexible jacket coupled with the elongated tubular section by extending into the plurality of slits to block a fluid passageway through the plurality of slits.