Telescoping Needle Assembly With Motorized Oscillation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing biopsy techniques often require multiple needle insertions to obtain sufficient tissue samples, which can be cumbersome and inefficient, particularly in endobronchial ultrasound needle (EBUS) applications for lung lymph node sampling.

Innovation Solution

A telescoping needle assembly with a motorized rotating mechanism, including a housing with telescopically coupled segments and a motor-driven needle, allowing for precise control and oscillation to harvest tissue efficiently without overextension, and a sheath to prevent epithelial tissue entry.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If multiple needle insertions are performed to obtain sufficient tissue samples, then the quantity of tissue for analysis is improved, but the complexity of the procedure and time consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequantity of tissue sampleVSAvoidprocedure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The needle assembly incorporates a telescoping mechanism that allows dynamic adjustment of needle extension length. The housing segments can telescope relative to each other, enabling the needle to be extended to different lengths based on the depth and size of the target tissue, allowing sufficient tissue sampling in a single insertion without requiring multiple procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows changing the operational parameters of the needle by adjusting the telescoping housing segments to different positions. This enables the same needle assembly to adapt to different tissue depths and sampling requirements, providing sufficient tissue quantity without requiring multiple insertions with different needle configurations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Length of moving object

If needle extension is increased to reach deeper tissue, then the ability to sample deep tissue is improved, but the risk of overextension and loss of control increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveneedle extension lengthVSAvoidcontrol precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Length of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The telescoping housing segments provide dynamic control over needle extension. The segments can be adjusted incrementally and locked at specific positions, allowing precise control of needle length and position. This dynamic adjustment mechanism prevents overextension while enabling access to deep tissue when necessary

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The housing is divided into multiple telescoping segments that can be independently adjusted. This segmentation allows for incremental extension control, where each segment can be extended or retracted in controlled amounts, maintaining precision and control even when the overall needle length is increased to reach deep tissue

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Quantity of substance

If a stylet is used to prevent epithelial tissue entry, then the purity of tumor tissue sample is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepurity of tissue sampleVSAvoiddevice structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stylet is designed as a removable component that can be extracted from the needle assembly after the initial positioning phase. By taking out the stylet at the appropriate time, the system prevents epithelial tissue contamination during insertion while allowing pure tumor tissue sampling during the biopsy phase, without permanently increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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

Enables efficient tissue harvesting with reduced needle insertions, ensuring accurate sampling of tumor tissue while minimizing overextension and improving the efficiency of tissue extraction.

Implementation Method 1

at least one motor in the housing and geared to the needle to cause the needle to rotate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical oscillation: Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP4054425B1Telescoping needle assembly with rotating needle
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 PRAXIS HOLDING LLC
  • EP4054425B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4054425B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4054425B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A telescoping assembly (10) such as an endobronchial ultrasound needle (EBUS) assembly includes a motor (800) coupled to a biopsy needle (58) within a telescoping housing to oscillate the needle during tissue harvest to improve harvesting.