Finite Element Study of Needle Insertion in Tissue

Abstract

Significant research efforts have been focused on modeling the interaction between surgical needles and soft tissues. These models are useful for studying tissue damage caused by the needle due to the insertion forces generated from the interaction between the needle and the tissue. The models can be used to observe the effects of needle physical properties and geometry on the insertion forces. In this work, we will model the insertion force of a surgical needle by simulating the needle-tissue interaction using finite element analysis (FEA). We then compare the computed results with the results from insertion experiments into PVC gel using 3D needle steering.