Steering Control Improvement of Active Surgical Needle Using Mosquito Proboscis-Inspired Cannula

Active needles have demonstrated superior tip deflection and improved accuracy compared to passive needles enhancing the efficacy of percutaneous needle insertion procedures. Successful navigation of these needles through tissues to reach targets relies on factors such as the actuation mechanism, tip shape, and surface geometry. In this study, we investigated the advantages of modifying the surface geometry of the active needle shaft, focusing on two improving crucial aspects: (a) needle tip deflection and (b) trajectory tracking during tissue insertion. Prior research had shown that modifying the surface geometry of passive needles reduced friction force, tissue displacement, and tissue damage. Building on this knowledge and being motivated by the surface geometry of mosquito proboscis, our study proposed a bio-inspired design modification on the active needle cannula. The active needle with the mosquito proboscis-inspired cannula was tested to measure the changes in insertion force, tip deflection, and trajectory tracking during polyvinyl chloride (PVC) phantom tissue insertions. Results showed that passive bevel-tip needles reduced insertion force by up to 10.67%. In active needles, tip deflection increased by 12.91% at 150 mm insertion depth when the cannula was modified. The bio-inspired cannula improved trajectory tracking error in the active needle by 39.00% while utilizing up to 17.65% lower control duty cycle. The enhancement of tip deflection and tracking control is expected to improve percutaneous procedures by achieving better patient outcomes and significantly mitigating the risk of complications.