Use of curved needles to perform biopsies and drainages of inaccessible targets.

Percutaneous image-guided biopsies and fluid drainages are usually feasible with use of standard, mass-produced, straight needles. Occasionally, target lesions are completely surrounded by interposed structures, such as bone, bowel, colon, pancreas, bladder, or blood vessels, so percutaneous access appears impossible. Although the commercial availability of curved needles is very limited, custom bending of needles may allow unconventional access to these well-protected targets. This technique has been used to reach biopsy and drainage targets that would have otherwise required either high-risk transgression of interposed structures or more invasive surgical procedures.