Mathematical modeling and computer simulation of needle insertion into soft tissue

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 22;15(12):e0242704. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242704. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

In this study we present a kinematic approach for modeling needle insertion into soft tissues. The kinematic approach allows the presentation of the problem as Dirichlet-type (i.e. driven by enforced motion of boundaries) and therefore weakly sensitive to unknown properties of the tissues and needle-tissue interaction. The parameters used in the kinematic approach are straightforward to determine from images. Our method uses Meshless Total Lagrangian Explicit Dynamics (MTLED) method to compute soft tissue deformations. The proposed scheme was validated against experiments of needle insertion into silicone gel samples. We also present a simulation of needle insertion into the brain demonstrating the method's insensitivity to assumed mechanical properties of tissue.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomechanical Phenomena
  • Brain / anatomy & histology
  • Computer Simulation
  • Humans
  • Injections / instrumentation
  • Injections / methods
  • Injections / statistics & numerical data*
  • Manikins
  • Models, Anatomic
  • Models, Statistical*
  • Needles*
  • Silicones / analysis*
  • Silicones / chemistry
  • Stress, Mechanical

Substances

  • Silicones

Grants and funding

This research was supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council's Discovery Projects funding scheme (project DP160100714) for Adam Wittek and Karol Miller. In particular, salaries of George Bourantas, Grand Joldes, and Benjamin F. Zwick were paid from the Australian Research Council's funding (Discovery project DP160100714). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.