3D-Printed Anatomical Guides for High-Precision Needle Placement and Drug Delivery
This invention comprises a customizable needle guide device with an interface body contoured to match a patient's specific anatomical features for pinpoint accuracy. It ensures safe and uniform delivery of therapeutic agents while protecting surrounding vital structures from accidental injury.
Description
The technology utilizes a personalized interface body, often created through 3D printing and medical imaging (such as CT or MRI scans), to perfectly conform to a target anatomical site or lesion. Extending from this body are one or more needle guides, each engineered with a specific length and angular orientation. These guides act as a physical stop, defining the exact maximum depth and trajectory a needle can penetrate to reach a target volume precisely. The system functions by passing a needle through these pre-aligned guides, which can be part of a larger automated or robotic system. Some versions include integrated ports for ultrasound transducers, allowing for real-time imaging during the procedure, or locking mechanisms to stabilize the needle once it reaches its destination. This level of control allows for sophisticated procedures, such as delivering multiple small doses (boluses) at different depths to ensure a therapeutic agent is evenly distributed throughout a tumor.Applications
- Oncology: Direct-to-tumor delivery of chemotherapeutic agents, vaccines, or radiation sensitizers, particularly in the head and neck.- Diagnostic Procedures: High-precision fine needle aspiration (FNA) and core biopsies for thyroid nodules, lymph nodes, or lung lesions.
- Vascular Access: Facilitating difficult venous or arterial access in the operating room or emergency settings.
- Pain Management and Orthopedics: Accurate delivery of steroids or other treatments into specific joint spaces, such as the knee, shoulder, or elbow.
- Robotic Surgery: Integration as a specialized end-effector or guide for robotic-assisted medical procedures.
Advantages
- Enhanced Safety: Dramatically reduces the risk of hitting vital structures, such as arteries or nerves, by physically limiting needle depth and direction.- Superior Accuracy: Uses patient-specific imaging to ensure needles reach the exact target volume every time.
- Uniform Distribution: Facilitates controlled, multi-point injections to achieve optimal biodistribution of drugs within a tumor.
- Reduced Expertise Requirements: Simplifies complex procedures, making high-precision injections and biopsies accessible to users with varying levels of experience.
- Workflow Efficiency: Minimizes the need for expensive, time-consuming intraoperative image guidance and reduces complications in difficult access cases.