Collaborative Research: Needles with High Inclination Angle Cutting Edge and Polished Surfaces for High Performance Biopsy

该项目的目的是提高对针头设计和制造的基本了解，以便能够更有效地进行针芯活检。组织活检长度将通过优化大倾角针切削刃和平滑针表面来增加，以减少组织针界面的摩擦，从而减少所需的切削力。这个项目涉及三项任务。任务一是采用磁力研磨光整加工，实现18号不锈钢针管内外同时抛光。任务2是设计和加工(即研磨和抛光)大倾角针切削刃。任务3是测量组织与针内部之间的摩擦力，建立活检长度与针刃和内摩擦力的函数关系的数学模型，并优化针的设计和制造，以提供可能的最大活检长度。如果成功，这项研究的结果将揭示使用工程活检针对软组织进行微加工(变形和切割)的机制。对现有金属切割模型的改进和对切割组织中新现象的观察可以扩大传统机械加工领域对生物医学和保健部件的应用。活组织检查是一种广泛使用的医疗程序，在这种程序中，组织样本被切割并取出进行检查，以识别和诊断疾病。组织切割效率的提高将减少疼痛，提高病理诊断的准确性，创新的针头设计和制造将适用于任何使用针头的医学领域。研究活动将被整合到研究生和本科课程中，创造一个学习环境，让学生参与大学工程经验，并加强他们在工程职业生涯中的长期保留。

The objective of this project is to improve the fundamental understanding of needle design and manufacturing in order to enable more efficient needle core biopsy. The tissue biopsy length will be increased by optimizing the high-inclination-angle needle cutting edges and smoothing the needle surfaces to reduce friction at the tissue-needle interface and thereby reduce the required cutting forces. This project involves three tasks. Task 1 is to realize simultaneous internal and external polishing of 18-gauge stainless steel needle tubes using magnetic abrasive finishing. Task 2 is to design and machine (i.e., grind and polish) the high-inclination-angle needle cutting edges. Task 3 is to measure the friction force between tissue and the needle interior, develop the mathematical model of the biopsy length as a function of the needle cutting edge and internal friction force, and optimize the needle design and manufacture to give the maximum biopsy length possible. If successful, the outcomes of this research will reveal the micro-machining (deformation and cutting) mechanisms of soft tissue using the engineered biopsy needles. Modifications to the existing metal-cutting models and observations of new phenomena in cutting tissue can broaden the application of the traditional field of machining to biomedical and healthcare components. Biopsy is a widely used medical procedure in which a tissue sample is cut and removed for examination to identify and diagnose diseases. The improvement in the tissue-cutting efficiency will reduce pain and improve accuracy in pathology diagnosis, and the innovative needle design and manufacturing will be translatable to any field of medicine that uses needles. The research activities will be integrated into graduate and undergraduate courses creating a learning environment that engages the students in the university engineering experience and enhances their long-term retention in engineering careers.