Minimally invasive surgical

• US 20030004407A1
• Filed: 09/05/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1997
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Care Wise Medical Products Corporation
• Original Assignee: Care Wise Medical Products Corporation
• Inventors: Carroll, Robert G., Wise, Robin A. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/235,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20030004407A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0266 means for severing sample
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/06 Biopsy forceps , e.g. with cup-shaped jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22031 Gripping instruments, e.g. forceps, for removing or smashing calculi A61B17/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0225 for taking multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00079 Radioactivity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320044 Blunt dissectors blunt suture needles A61B2017/06085
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320048 Balloon dissectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3908 Soft tissue, e.g. breast tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/392 Radioactive markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/032 Transmission computed tomography [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4057 by using radiation sources located in the interior of the body A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/425 using detectors specially adapted to be used in the interior of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4258 for detecting non x-ray radiation, e.g. gamma radiation A61B6/037 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/4423 related to hygiene or sterilisation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/506 for diagnosis of nerves
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/161 Applications in the field of nuclear medicine, e.g. in vivo counting apparatus for radiation diagnosis A61B6/00

Abstract

A probe or sheath for use on a probe for detecting and removing radioactively tagged tissue, e.g., a sentinel lymph node, within the body of a living being. The probe or sheath and probe is arranged to be inserted through a small percutaneous portal into the patient'"'"'s body and is movable to various positions adjacent the tagged tissue to detect the presence of radiation therefrom so that it can be positioned immediately adjacent that tissue to ensnare or trap that tissue. The probe or sheath and probe can then be removed from the being'"'"'s body, carrying the tagged tissue with it. The probe may be constructed to make use of a scintillation crystal, a collimator, adjustable or fixed, and a backshielding lightpipe. A blunt dissecting device is provided as part of the sheath or as part of the probe itself to aid in separating the tagged tissue from adjacent tissue without injury to the adjacent tissue. The probe may be a fully integrated, self-powered unit.

Claims

1. An integrated radiation instrument probe having a small diameter body arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein and for removing such tissue from the body of the being, said probe comprising a radiation detector and associated electronic components for providing electrical signals in response to radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue and which radiation is detected by said radiation detector, means for releasably securing said radioactively tagged tissue to said probe for enabling the secured tissue to be removed from the being'"'"'s body with the probe, and signaling means for producing signals for providing information regarding the use of the probe to the person using the probe.

2. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said probe includes a visual display for providing visual signals to the person.

3. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said probe includes a sound generator for providing audible signals to the person.

4. The instrument of claim 2 wherein said probe also includes a sound generator for providing audible signals to the person.

5. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said probe additionally comprises a blunt tissue dissector arranged to bluntly separate the radioactively tagged tissue from adjacent tissue so that the radioactively tagged tissue may be readily removed from the being'"'"'s body.

6. The instrument of claim 5 wherein said blunt tissue dissector includes an inflatable balloon.

7. The instrument of claim 5 wherein said probe includes a grabbing member for grabbing the radioactively tagged tissue.

8. The instrument of claim 7 wherein said grabbing member includes at least one extendable member to ensnare the radioactively tagged tissue.

9. The instrument of claim 8 wherein said at least one extendable member is arranged to pierce into the radioactively tagged tissue.

10. The instrument of claim 7 wherein said grabbing member includes plural extendable members to engage the radioactively tagged tissue from plural directions to ensnare it.

11. The instrument of claim 1 wherein said probe includes a wireless transmitter for transmitting wireless signals in response to operation of said probe.

12. The instrument of claim 11 additionally comprising a remote unit arranged to receive wherein said wireless signals.

13. The instrument of claim 12 wherein said remote unit includes a visual display for providing visual signals to the person.

14. The instrument of claim 12 wherein said probe includes a sound generator for providing audible signals to the person.

15. The instrument of claim 13 wherein said probe also includes a sound generator for providing audible signals to the person.

17. The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe includes a visual display for providing visually perceptible output signals.

18. The instrument of claim 17 wherein said probe includes a sound generator for providing audible output signals.

19. The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe also includes a sound generator for providing audible output signals.

20. The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe includes electric power supply means for powering said probe.

21. The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe includes illumination means for illuminating the situs of the radioactively tagged tissue.

22. The instrument of claim 21 wherein said illumination means comprises a fiber-optic member.

23. The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe includes visualization means for visualizing the situs of the radioactively tagged tissue.

24. The instrument of claim 23 wherein said visualization means comprises a fiber-optic member.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said unit includes a visual display for providing visually perceptible output signals.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein said unit includes a sound generator for providing audible output signals.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein said unit also includes a sound generator for providing audible output signals.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein said probe includes electric power supply means for powering said probe.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein said probe includes illumination means for illuminating the situs of the radioactively tagged tissue.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said illumination means comprises a fiber-optic member.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein said probe includes visualization means for visualizing the situs of the radioactively tagged tissue.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein said visualization means comprises a fiber-optic member.

35. The radiation detecting probe of claim 34 wherein said collimator comprises plural septa.

36. The radiation detecting probe of claim 34 wherein said septum are arranged to fold outward into said opening to divide said window into plural passageways through which radiation may pass to said radiation detector.

37. The radiation detecting probe of claim 35 wherein said septa are arranged to fold outward into said opening to divide said window into plural passageways through which radiation may pass to said radiation detector.

16. An integrated radiation detecting probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein, said probe comprising a radiation detector, associated signal processing components, and signaling means, said signal processing means being arranged for for providing electrical signals in response to radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue and which radiation is detected by said radiation detector, said signaling means being responsive to said electrical signals for providing output signals to a user of said probe, said output signals providing information regarding the use of the probe.

25. A radiation detecting system comprising a probe and a remote signaling unit, said probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein and comprising a radiation detector, associated signal processing components, and signaling means, said signal processing means being arranged for for providing electrical signals in response to radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue and which radiation is detected by said radiation detector, said signaling means being responsive to said electrical signals for transmitting wireless signals to said remote signaling unit, said remote signaling unit being responsive to said wireless signals for providing output signals for a user of said system, said output signals providing information regarding the use of the probe.

34. A radiation detecting probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein, said probe comprising a housing, a radiation detector located within said housing for detecting radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue, and a collimator, said housing being formed of a radiation blocking material and having an opening therein forming a window through which radiation from the radioactively tagged tissue may pass, said collimator comprising at least one radiation blocking septa located adjacent said opening, said septum being adapted to be moved from a retracted position to an extended position, and vice versa, said septum when in said retracted position enabling said radiation detector to receives radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged source within a first solid angle of acceptance, said septum when in said extended position enabling said radiation detector to receives radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged source within a second solid angle of acceptance, said second solid angle of acceptance being narrower than said first solid angle of acceptance.

38. A radiation detecting probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein, the radioactively tagged tissue having been tagged with a radioactive agent selected from the group consisting of Technetium 99 m and Indium 111, said probe comprising a housing, a radiation detector located within said housing for detecting radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue, said radiation detector comprising a scintillation crystal of Gadolineum Orthosilicate.