CamPROBE aims to make prostate cancer diagnosis simple, safe and affordable

Urology specialist Professor Vincent Gnanapragasam and his team at Cambridge University and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Trust devised the Cambridge Prostate Biopsy Device (CamPROBE) to reduce the risk of infection compared with traditional transrectal biopsies. CamPROBE is also expected to cost less than half of existing devices.

Prostate cancer has usually been diagnosed with a transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate, guided by an ultrasound probe inserted into the rectum. According to the team, this approach carries a significant risk of side effects, including urinary infections and severe sepsis, as the needle traverses the rectal wall several times on the way to the prostate. Consequently, medical and professional bodies now advocate using the transperineal route - the space between the legs and under the scrotum - instead.

The CamPROBE is designed to be a simple way of accessing the prostate via the transperineal route in an outpatient setting. It requires two incisions instead of the typical 12 in related devices, and incorporates a needle sheathed within a coaxial cannula to deliver local anaesthetic.