Focal therapy for localized cancer: a patent review

Introduction: Conventional cancer treatments such as radical surgery and systemic therapy targeting the organ or organ system might have side effects because of damage to the surrounding tissue. For this reason, there is a need for new instruments that focally treat cancer. Areas covered: This review provides a comprehensive overview of the...

Stabilizing interventional instruments in the cardiovascular system: A classification of mechanisms

Positioning and stabilizing a catheter at the required location inside a vessel or the heart is a complicated task in interventional cardiology. In this review we provide a structured classification of catheter stabilization mechanisms to systematically assess their challenges during cardiac interventions. Commercially available, patented,...

Needle-like instruments for steering through solid organs: A review of the scientific and patent literature

High accuracy and precision in reaching target locations inside the human body is necessary for the success of percutaneous procedures, such as tissue sample removal (biopsy), brachytherapy, and localized drug delivery. Flexible steerable needles may allow the surgeon to reach targets deep inside solid organs while avoiding sensitive structures ...