− To facilitate training and planning for medical procedures such as prostate brachytherapy, we are developing an interactive simulation of needle insertion and radioactive seed implantation in soft tissues. We describe a new 2D dynamic FEM model based on a reduced set of scalar parameters such as needle friction, sharpness, and velocity, where the mesh is updated to maintain element boundaries...

To transfer the preplan for the head and neck brachytherapy to the clinical implantation procedure, a preplan-based 3D-printed individual template for needle insertion guidance had previously been designed and used. The accuracy of needle insertion using this kind template was assessed in vivo In the study, 25 patients with head and neck tumors were implanted with 125I radioactive seeds under t...

Flow back along a needle track (backflow) can be a problem during direct infusion, e.g. convection-enhanced delivery (CED), of drugs into soft tissues such as brain. In this study, the effect of needle insertion speed on local tissue injury and backflow was evaluated in vivo in the rat brain. Needles were introduced at three insertion speeds (0.2, 2, and 10 mm/s) followed by CED of Evans blue a...

We have previously reported the usefulness of a needle laparoscopic surgery system that involves insertion port through Douglas' pouch and use an EndoPouch to facilitate cystectomy without leakage ovarian cyst contents.

A fracture mechanics approach was employed to develop a model that can predict the penetration force during quasi-static needle insertion in soft tissue. The model captures a mechanical process where the sharp needle produces a crack that is opened to accommodate the shaft of the needle. This process involves the interchange of energy between four distinct phenomena: the work done by the needle...

Introduction. In traditional Chinese acupuncture, needle sensation (deqi) is purported to contribute to a therapeutic outcome. While researchers have attempted to define deqi qualitatively, few have examined the effects of needling parameters on its intensity. Methods. 24 healthy subjects completed eight interventions scheduled at least one week apart, which involved manual acupuncture to LI4 o...

The four major categories of skill sets associated with proficiency in ultrasound guided regional anaesthesia are 1) understanding device operations, 2) image optimization, 3) image interpretation and 4) visualization of needle insertion and injection of the local anesthetic solution. Of these, visualization of needle insertion and injection of local anaesthetic solution can be practiced using ...

Intraosseous infusion has been recommended as a rapid and effective form of circulatory access in the collapsed child. Recognised sites for insertion include the tibia, femur, iliac crest, sternum, and clavicle. The case of a 3 year old collapsed child is described who was successfully resuscitated with the use of an intraosseous needle placed in the calcaneum; the method of needle insertion is...

PURPOSE Accurate and efficient guidance of needles to procedural targets is critically important during percutaneous interventional procedures. Ultrasound imaging is widely used for real-time image guidance in a variety of clinical contexts, but with this modality, uncertainties about the location of the needle tip within the image plane lead to significant complications. Whilst several methods...