The ARC surgical needle replaces the scalpel

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Surgeons are increasingly turning to less invasive techniques, such as using long, thin needles instead of scalpels, to access targets in the body. A new needle with a steerable tip can make such procedures faster and easier. Typically, surgical needles are completely rigid. While it helps maintain a straight path through the tissue, it does not allow that path to change if it misses the target. Instead, they are usually removed from the patient's body and then reinserted at a slightly different angle. Not only does it take time, but it also causes more tissue damage by repeated punctures.

You might also be interested in: Injectable hydrogel cures back pain! Seeking a more flexible alternative, EPFL's Charles Bauru and Lennart Robert of the University of Strasbourg developed Vietnam Mobile Number List what is known as the ARC needle . The device is essentially a tube within a tube. Its exterior is in the form of a rigid shaft with a beveled end (meaning it has been cut at an angle), like a regular needle. The narrower tube consists of three interconnected segments. When the needle is inserted initially, the inner tube remains tucked inside the outer tube. If the needle path needs to be adjusted later, the surgeon presses the slider on the handle, causing the inner tube to slip out of the end of the outer tube.



When the three articulated segments extend, they not only go straight, but follow the angle of the slanted tip of the outer tube. By twisting the needle in the tissue, the surgeon is able to determine the direction in which to guide the inner tube. The prototypes created so far have had outer diameters of 0.9 to 4.5 mm and have been made of both stainless steel and glass. While steel has proven to be the best overall for soft tissue surgery, the advantage of glass is that it does not produce reflections that could obscure target areas viewed by imaging systems. The ARC needle technology is currently commercialized by the French company Conexus. We hope that preclinical studies in humans will begin soon.