EFFECTS OF TIP GEOMETRY OF SURGICAL NEEDLES: AN ASSESSMENT OF FORCE AND DEFLECTION

Abstract: Precise placement and steering of surgical needles is very important for many medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. But accurate steering and placement of needles in soft tissue is challenging because of a variety of reasons. In this study we focused on the effects of tip geometry (bevel tip, diamond tip, and conical tip) of brachytherapy needles while inserted in soft material phantoms. We have validated our hypothesis that rotation of needle can reduce deflection significantly