Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has become a safe and accurate diagnostic tool for lesions arising from organs adjacent to the gastrointestinal tract, as well as those arising from the gastrointestinal wall. To improve diagnostic accuracy, devices such as needles with side ports have been developed, but studies evaluating the clinical usefulness of such enhanc...

Real-time intraoperative B-scan optical coherence tomography (OCT) visualization of intraocular tissues is a desired ophthalmic feature during retinal procedures. A novel intraocular 25-gauge B-mode forward-imaging OCT probe was combined with a 36-gauge needle into a prototype instrument. Imaging of the needle tip itself and the effects of saline injection into a gelatin phantom were performed....

INTRODUCTION The risk of postdural puncture headache following lumbar puncture can be reduced by choosing a blunt spinal needle or by using a smaller needle diameter. Reports indicate that lumbar puncture practiced outside of the anaesthetic discipline does not adhere to the current level of evidence. To examine the practice among haematologists in Denmark, we performed a national survey. In ad...

results first needle placement without imaging resulted in blood return in 1/199 participants and positive epidurography in 179/199 (90%). minimal needle repositioning resulted in a positive epidurogram in the remaining 19 attempts. no intravascular injection patterns were observed. conclusions this compares favorably to published success rates of fluoroscopically-guided technique and was well ...

Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of thyroid nodules is minimally invasive and safe and is usually performed on an outpatient basis. However, the optimal application of FNA requires not only technical skill but also an awareness of the limitations of the procedure, the indications for its use, the factors that affect the adequacy of the biopsy specimen, and the postprocedural management strat...

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a simple and intuitive treatment method using an 18-gauge needle for mallet fractures that involve more than one-third of the articular surface. We performed a retrospective review of 17 patients who underwent closed reduction using an 18-gauge needle with transfixation of Kirschner wire between March 2007 and October 2013. According to the Wehbe and Sc...

BACKGROUND Percutaneous diagnostic and therapeutic procedures are commonly used in the treatment of spinal pain. The success of these procedures depends on the accuracy of needle placement, which is influenced by needle size and shape. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to examine and quantify the deviation of commonly used spinal needles based on needle tip design and gauge, using a bal...

BACKGROUND The effects of epidural needle design, angle, and bevel orientation on cerebrospinal fluid leak after puncture have not been reported. The impact of these factors on leak rate was examined using a dural sac model. Dural trauma was examined using scanning electron microscopy. METHODS Human cadaveric dura, mounted on a cylindrical model, was punctured with epidural needles using a mi...

BACKGROUND Totally implanted ports (TIP) have become a standard part of patient care, providing long-term central venous access for treatment administration and other procedures. Despite overall the safety and effectiveness of TIP, complications still occur. Negative pressure created during needle withdrawal induces blood reflux and subsequent catheter occlusion. Application of positive pressur...