Tissue removal methods and apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A breast tissue removal method comprising:
- positioning a tissue separation device at a target site within a patient'"'"'s breast the tissue separation device comprising a selectively energized tissue separation element;
separating a breast tissue sample by the movement of the tissue separation element through the tissue at the target site;
monitoring a factor relating to the restriction to the passage of the tissue separation element through the tissue during the separating step; and
adjusting, as needed, energy supplied to the tissue separation element based on the results of the monitoring step.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Target tissues are accessed and removed using various types of devices and methods.
58 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A breast tissue removal method comprising:
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positioning a tissue separation device at a target site within a patient'"'"'s breast the tissue separation device comprising a selectively energized tissue separation element;
separating a breast tissue sample by the movement of the tissue separation element through the tissue at the target site;
monitoring a factor relating to the restriction to the passage of the tissue separation element through the tissue during the separating step; and
adjusting, as needed, energy supplied to the tissue separation element based on the results of the monitoring step. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A breast tissue removal assembly comprising:
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an elongate tissue separation device comprising a tissue separation element mounted to a support;
the tissue separation element movable from a retracted state to an extended state;
a tissue separation element driver operably coupled to the tissue separation element to permit the tissue separation element separate a target tissue mass from a patient, the tissue separation element driver comprising an energy source coupled to the tissue separation device;
a sensor, operably coupled to at least one of the tissue separation device and the tissue separation element driver, which senses the physical resistance to the separation of the target tissue mass from the patient'"'"'s breast; and
a feedback device operably coupling the sensor and the tissue separation element driver so that the amount of energy supplied by the tissue separation element driver to the tissue separation element can be adjusted based on the physical restriction to the passage of the tissue separation element through the patient'"'"'s breast. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for the percutaneous removal of tissue from a target site within a continuous tissue mass of a patient comprising:
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passing a hollow, radially expandable/collapsible portion of an elongate member along a tissue track within a continuous tissue mass of a patient, extending from an access site in a patient'"'"'s skin to a target site in the patient, with the portion in a radially collapsed condition;
positioning the portion at a chosen position relative to the target site;
placing the portion in compression thereby radially expanding at least a part of the portion;
taking a tissue sample from the target site and housing said tissue sample within the portion;
removing the tissue sample from the patient while maintaining the tissue sample within the elongate member;
placing the portion in tension the thereby at least partially collapsing the part of the portion; and
removing the at least partially collapsed portion from the patient. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A percutaneous tissue sample removal assembly comprising:
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an elongate member, at least a distal portion thereof being a radially expandable/collapsible, said distal portion having an open interior and an open distal end;
a distal portion expanding/collapsing device comprising a tubular mesh device which radially contracts when placed in tension and radially expands when placed in compression; and
a tissue sample retrieval device operable to position a tissue sample through the open distal end and into the open interior. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A percutaneous tissue mass retrieval assembly comprising:
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a shaft having a distal end;
a radially expandable blocking element at the distal end of the shaft;
a suspect tissue mass enveloping device located proximal of the blocking element;
said tissue mass enveloping device movable from an enlarged, tissue mass-surrounding state to a contracted, tissue mass-constricting state so to enable said tissue mass to be removed from a target site with a reduced lateral size. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method for maintaining access to a void within a breast of a patient, comprising:
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creating a tissue void within a breast of a patient by the removal of target material from a continuous tissue mass at a target site, and through a tissue track extending from the target site and out an access site in the patient'"'"'s skin; and
placing an access sleeve along the tissue track, whereby access to the void is maintained. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A device for removing target material from a patient comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion and an axis; and
first and second axially spaced-apart, radially expandable elements carried by the distal portion of the shaft, the expandable elements being remotely selectively movable between radially retracted and radially expanded states;
the radially expandable elements being sufficiently hard and sufficiently large so to be detectable by palpation;
whereby said radially expandable elements can be used to bracket target material so the target material can be removed from a patient along with the device. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for percutaneously locating a target mass within a patient comprising:
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extending the distal end of a shaft to a position distal of a target mass;
independently positioning first and second radially expanding bracketing elements at positions distal of and proximal of the target mass;
moving the bracketing elements from radially retracted states to radially expanded states thereby bracketing the target mass; and
locating the target mass using the bracketing elements. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for helping to prevent seeding of a tissue track with cells from the vicinity of a breast tissue target site, the tissue track defined within a continuous breast tissue mass and extending between an access site in a patient'"'"'s skin and the target site, comprising:
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positioning an elongate protective device along the tissue track within the continuous breast tissue mass, the device having a wall, an opening at a distal end thereof, and an open inner region;
locating the distal end of the protective device at a position adjacent to and proximal of the target site;
moving tissue from the target site, through the opening in the device and into the inner region; and
moving the tissue along the tissue track and out of the patient while keeping the tissue within the device, the wall preventing seeding of the tissue track by the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A method for maintaining percutaneous access to an excisional site comprising:
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positioning first and second locational elements within a patient at a target site, the first and second locational elements carried by first and second elongate elements, the first and second elongate elements extending from the locational elements at the target site, along a tissue track and out through an access site in the patient'"'"'s skin;
removing the first elongate element and first locational element therewith from the patient; and
accessing the target site using the second elongate element and second locational element therewith. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A percutaneous access assembly comprising:
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first and second separately movable locational devices, each said device comprising a shaft and a radially expandable element mounted to the shaft; and
said radially expandable elements locatable adjacent one another.
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Specification