Devices for percutaneous Access and Tissue Sampling in the Punch Biopsy

Punch biopsy is an established procedure in minimally invasive medicine extracting human tissue samples for histological examinations to diagnose the presence or extent of carcinogenic tissue. Commonly used devices for performing punch biopsy consist of a twopart needle system which is injected into the target area at high speed. A detailed analysis of the procedure itself as well as the device with respect to its functional characteristics showed a high potential for improvement in terms of the benefits for the patient, the handling by the practicing surgeon and the economic constraints in the medical environment. In the framework of a publicly funded project, solutions were developed to optimize the procedure with regard to the accuracy of the needle system, the reduction in tissue trauma and the implementation of percutaneous access at reduced penetration force. Experiments with phantom tissues using a high-speed camera were conducted and a tissue needle simulation model using the MBD software RECURDYN were developed.