1Department of Radiology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 2Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Boramae Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 3Department of Radiology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kimsh@radcom.snu.ac.kr 4Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea. 5Kidney Research Institute, Seoul National University Medical Research Center, Seoul, Korea.
Published online: December 1, 2008.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To evaluate the performance of a newly-designed ultrasound (US)-guided puncture device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A newly-designed US-guided puncture device was composed of a guide segment and an attachable segment. The guide segment allowed the needle to be placed in the plane of US view with a maximal degree of freedom, and the attachable segment was designed to attach to most convex US probes. Six operators punctured 144 targets in phantoms using either the new device (n = 72) or free-hand technique (n = 72). The number of required needle passages and the necessary procedure times were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The number of required needle passages and the necessary procedure time were significantly reduced in five operators when the newly-designed US-guided puncture device was used (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A newly-designed US-guided puncture device, which allows for a maximal degree of freedom in needle placement and can attach to most convex US probes, showed good performance in our study.