Variable-Flexibility Biopsy Needle for Peripheral Lung Nodules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biopsy needles struggle to access peripheral lung nodules due to the tortuous nature of lung airways, lacking the necessary stiffness and flexibility to traverse deep peripheries while maintaining adequate sample size capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A biopsy needle with varying flexibility along its length, featuring a proximal portion with high stiffness and a distal portion with increased flexibility, allowing it to navigate through lung airways and obtain sufficient tissue samples.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a biopsy needle is made stiff to maintain structural integrity and sample collection capability, then it can maintain adequate sample size, but it cannot navigate through tortuous lung airways to reach peripheral nodules
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is divided into multiple sections with different wall thicknesses along its length. The proximal section has greater wall thickness for stiffness and structural integrity, while the distal section has reduced wall thickness for flexibility and navigation capability through tortuous airways.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the needle have different mechanical properties. The proximal portion maintains high stiffness for sample collection, while the distal portion has increased flexibility for navigation, creating local quality variations that resolve the contradiction between stiffness and flexibility requirements.
2Ease of operation
If a biopsy needle is made flexible to navigate through lung airways, then it can reach peripheral nodules, but it cannot maintain adequate structural integrity for sample collection
Solution Approach 1:
The needle structure is segmented into proximal and distal sections with different wall thicknesses. This segmentation allows the distal section to be more flexible for airway navigation while the proximal section maintains structural integrity for sample collection.
Solution Approach 2:
The needle exhibits local quality variations where the distal portion has reduced wall thickness for flexibility and the proximal portion has increased wall thickness for strength, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and structural integrity.
3Ease of operation
If the needle wall thickness is reduced uniformly to increase flexibility, then it can navigate through airways, but it cannot maintain adequate sample collection capability
Solution Approach 1:
The needle is segmented into sections with different wall thicknesses. The distal section has reduced wall thickness for flexibility and airway navigation, while the proximal section maintains adequate wall thickness for sample collection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different sections of the needle have different wall thickness properties tailored to their specific functions. The distal section has thinner walls for flexibility, while the proximal section has thicker walls for maintaining sample collection capability.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the needle is made with varying wall thickness to achieve different flexibilities, then it can navigate and collect samples, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The needle design varies the wall thickness parameter along its length to achieve different flexibilities in different sections. This parameter change allows the needle to have both navigation and sample collection capabilities while using a relatively simple single-piece construction method.
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 needle effectively traverses the deep periphery of the lungs, ensuring adequate sample collection with reduced material and manufacturing costs, while maintaining structural integrity and sample size.
Implementation Method 1
The needle has a first portion with a first flexibility and a second portion with a second flexibility that is greater than the first flexibility, allowing differential flexing to navigate tortuous pathways
Data Source
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AI summary
Medical devices and methods for making and using medical devices are disclosed. An example medical device may include a pulmonary biopsy needle having a proximal end, a distal end, and an elongated body extending between the proximal end and the distal end. The needle may be configured to access a periphery of a patient's lungs and the elongated portion may have a first portion, a second portion, and a piercing tip. The first portion may have a first flexibility and the second portion may have a second flexibility that is more flexible than the first flexibility. The second portion may extend distally of the first portion and the second flexibility may be constant along a length of the second portion. The first portion of the needle may have a wall-thickness different than a wall-thickness of the second portion of the needle.