Simulations of needle insertion by using a Eulerian hydrocode FEM and the experimental validations

Abstract

In this paper, simulations for needle insertion were performed by using a novel Eulerian hydrocode FEM, which was adaptive for large deformation and tissue fracture. We also performed experiments for the same needle insertion with silicon rubbers and needles, which had conical tips of different angles in order to investigate the accuracy of the simulations. The resistance forces in the simulations accurately followed those in the experiments until the conical portion of the needle was inside the rubbers, and the validation of the Eulerian hydrocode was revealed. However, the present simulation showed that after the conical portion was inside the tissue, the simulated resistance forces became lower than the experimental ones. The proportional increase of the friction forces and the roughly flatness of the tip force along the time were simulated. It was predicted that the tightening force along the needle side was underestimated. © 2008 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.