Tactile needle probe for minimally invasive tissue identification during epidural space insertion

Abstract This paper presents a novel optical fiber-based needle probe designed to measure the tactile force at needle tip during needle insertions. By fusing the measurements along inserting paths, the probe can provide visualized tissue layer breaking information such as cutting force and layer thickness within the internal organ structure. The sensing system then can confirm types of tissue and localize needle tip by analyzing force feedback signal. The performance of the developed probe was validated via insertions on various bio tissues. Experimental results show that the sensing needle can provide reliable force information and estimation of the tissue types.