Spring-Loaded Blunt-Tip Needle Lets Doctors Diagnose and Destroy Kidney

A new study from interventional radiologists at the University General Hospital Attikon in Athens suggests a one-session approach for patients with small kidney tumors, combining diagnosis and treatment. Published in CVIR Oncology, the retrospective work (2022–2023) involved 15 patients with a mean age of 67.8 and 17 renal tumors, averaging 2.77 cm, all staged as T1 (mostly T1a). Using CT guidance, a 15-gauge coaxial introducer with a spring-loaded blunt-tip stylet displaces tissues without cutting, allowing an 18-gauge needle to take two biopsy cores per tumor. The team then uses the same tract to deliver 2.45 GHz microwave ablation via a 16-gauge antenna, aiming to cover the lesion plus at least a 0.5 cm margin. Immediate CT checks screened for complications.