Needle with contiguous interrupted and uninterrupted helical-cut sections
Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for sampling a targeted region of tissue in a body using a flexible needle including a plurality of interrupted cuts and an uninterrupted cut extending continuously from the uninterrupted cuts to reduce localized strain on the flexible needle. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a flexible needle, where the flexible needle includes: a proximal end; a distal end including a needle tip; and a shaft extending between the proximal end and the distal end and including a flexible portion, where the flexible portion includes; an interrupted cut section including a plurality of interrupted cuts in the shaft following a first helical pattern; and an uninterrupted cut section including an uninterrupted cut in the shaft following a second helical pattern where the uninterrupted cut extends continuously from an end of a first terminal cut at a first end of the interrupted cut section.
1 . An apparatus comprising:
a flexible needle, wherein the flexible needle includes:
a proximal end;
a distal end including a needle tip; and
a shaft extending between the proximal end and the distal end and including a flexible portion, wherein the flexible portion includes:
an interrupted cut section including a plurality of interrupted cuts in the shaft following a first helical pattern,
an uninterrupted cut section including an uninterrupted cut in the shaft following a second helical pattern, and
a continuous transition cut extending continuously from an end of a first terminal cut at a first end of the interrupted cut section into the uninterrupted cut section, wherein the first terminal cut is a final interrupted cut of the plurality of interrupted cuts following the first helical pattern.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interrupted cut section is disposed adjacent the distal end and the uninterrupted cut section is disposed between the interrupted cut section and the proximal end.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the uninterrupted cut section is disposed adjacent the distal end and the interrupted cut section is disposed between the uninterrupted cut section and the proximal end.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first pitch angle of the first helical pattern of the interrupted cut section is less than a second pitch angle of the second helical pattern of the uninterrupted cut section.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a first pitch angle of the first helical pattern of the interrupted cut section includes a pitch angle chosen from a fixed pitch angle and a variable pitch angle.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a second pitch angle of the second helical pattern of the uninterrupted cut section includes a pitch angle chosen from a fixed pitch angle and a variable pitch angle.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interrupted cuts includes a plurality of linear cuts.
8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interrupted cuts includes a plurality of nonlinear cuts including at least one cut pattern chosen from a sinusoidal cut pattern, a jigsaw cut pattern, and a zigzag cut pattern.
9 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the interrupted cuts terminate at a rounded hole formed in the shaft.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional cut section chosen from:
an additional uninterrupted cut section including an additional uninterrupted cut in the shaft following a third helical pattern having a third pitch angle and extending from a second end of a second terminal cut of the plurality of interrupted cuts at an opposite end of the interrupted cut section from the first terminal cut; and
an additional interrupted cut section including an additional plurality of interrupted cuts in the shaft following a fourth helical pattern having a fourth pitch angle and extending from an opposing end of the uninterrupted cut from the end of the first terminal cut.
11 . A system for sampling a targeted region of tissue, the system comprising:
an insertion system configured to receive an elongated instrument into a proximal end of a lumen and to convey a distal end of the lumen into a body toward a targeted region of tissue to be sampled; and
a flexible needle assembly configured to be insertable into the body via the lumen, wherein the flexible needle assembly includes:
a flexible needle, wherein the flexible needle includes:
a proximal end;
a distal end including a needle tip; and
a shaft extending between the proximal end and the distal end and including a flexible portion, wherein the flexible portion includes:
an interrupted cut section including a plurality of interrupted cuts in the shaft following a first helical pattern;
an uninterrupted cut section including an uninterrupted cut in the shaft following a second helical pattern; and
a continuous transition cut extending between the interrupted cut section and the uninterrupted cut section, wherein the continuous transition cut extends continuously from an end of a first terminal cut at a first end of the interrupted cut section into the uninterrupted cut section, wherein the first terminal cut is a final interrupted cut of the plurality of interrupted cuts following the first helical pattern; and
a handle assembly configured to engage the proximal end of the flexible needle and to control movement of the flexible needle.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the interrupted cut section is disposed adjacent the distal end and the uninterrupted cut section is disposed between the interrupted cut section and the proximal end.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the uninterrupted cut section is disposed adjacent the distal end and the interrupted cut section is disposed between the uninterrupted cut section and the proximal end.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a first pitch angle of the first helical pattern of the interrupted cut section is less than a second pitch angle of the second helical pattern of the uninterrupted cut section.
15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a first pitch angle of the first helical pattern of the interrupted cut section includes a pitch angle chosen from a fixed pitch angle and a variable pitch angle.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a second pitch angle of the second helical pattern of the uninterrupted cut section includes a pitch angle chosen from a fixed pitch angle and a variable pitch angle.
17 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of interrupted cuts includes a plurality of linear cuts.
18 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of interrupted cuts includes a plurality of nonlinear cuts including at least one cut pattern chosen from a sinusoidal cut pattern, a jigsaw cut pattern, and a zigzag cut pattern.
19 . The system of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the interrupted cuts terminate at a rounded hole formed in the shaft.
20 . The system of claim 11 , further comprising at least one additional cut section chosen from:
an additional uninterrupted cut section including an additional uninterrupted cut in the shaft following a third helical pattern having a third pitch angle and extending from a second end of a second terminal cut of the plurality of interrupted cuts at an opposite end of the interrupted cut section from the first terminal cut; and
an additional interrupted cut section including an additional plurality of interrupted cuts in the shaft following a fourth helical pattern having a fourth pitch angle and extending from an opposing end of the uninterrupted cut from the end of the first terminal cut.
21 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the insertion system further includes an imaging probe deployable at the distal end of the lumen to monitor a position of the needle relative to the targeted region of tissue to be sampled.