NeedleSafe has received one of the twenty grants awarded by the CaixaImpulse programme to proceed with a an antiseptic biopsy system to improve prostate biopsies. The project NeedleSafe is led by team led by Quim Castellví, researcher at the Biomedical Electronics Research Group (BERG) from BCN MedTech, which is led by Antoni Ivorra, researcher at the Department of Information and Communication Technologies (DTIC). Researchers from Hospital Clínic, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute, and IESE Business School also participate in the project. 

About the project:

Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy is the gold-standard for diagnosis of prostate cancer. But this procedure is not harmless since the rectal wall is perforated during the biopsy allowing the bacteria naturally confined within the rectum to cause infectious complications. Currently, between 2 and 5% of the patients undergoing a transrectal prostate biopsy are reported to develop a severe infection. NeedleSafe uses a technology capable of eliminating the risk of infection after biopsy procedures. It is based on the electrical release of silver ions from a thin silver coating on the biopsy needle to obtain a long-term bactericidal effect.