Tissue marking apparatus and method

• US 20040162574A1
• Filed: 01/15/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Viola, Frank J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,497,862 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3908 Soft tissue, e.g. breast tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/392 Radioactive markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3987 Applicators for implanting markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 37/0076 Tattooing apparatus apparatus for marking animals A01K11/00; vaccine applicators having needles or other puncturing means A61B17/205

Abstract

Tissue marking apparatus for marking a tissue mass of interest within the body of a patient are disclosed. The tissue marking apparatus include a handle, a tube operatively coupled to a distal end of the handle, a push rod disposed within the tube and extending into the handle, a firing mechanism retained within the handle and operatively coupled to a proximal end of the push rod, and a potential energy source configured and adapted to rapidly drive the push rod distally through the tube upon an activation of the firing mechanism. The tissue marking apparatus further includes a marker configured and dimensioned to be slidably received within the tube at a location distal of the push rod. The marker includes a capsule defining a chamber therein, an elongate tail extending from a distal end thereof, and at least one radioactive bead retained within the chamber of the capsule.

Claims

1. A tissue marking apparatus for marking a tissue mass of interest within the body of a patient, the tissue marking apparatus comprising:

a handle;

a tube operatively coupled to a distal end of the handle;

a push rod disposed within the tube and extending into the handle; and

a firing mechanism retained within the handle and operatively coupled to a proximal end of the push rod, the firing mechanism being configured and adapted to distally advance the push rod through the tube.

2. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a marker configured and dimensioned to be slidably received within the tube at a location distal of the push rod.

3. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the marker comprises:

a capsule defining a chamber therein;

an elongate tail extending from a distal end thereof, the tail having a shape, while in an at rest condition, in which a distal end of the elongate tail approaches a median portion of the elongate tail, the elongate tail being deformable to a substantially linear condition; and

at least one radioactive bead retained within the chamber of the capsule.

4. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the capsule of the marker comprises:

a distal capsule portion from which the elongate tail extends; and

a proximal capsule portion having a chamber formed therein for retaining the at least one radioactive bead, the distal and proximal capsule portions being configured and adapted to be secured to one another and to house the at least one radioactive bead within the chamber thereof.

5. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the firing mechanism comprises:

a potential energy source configured and adapted to rapidly drive the push rod distally through the tube upon an activation of the firing mechanism.

6. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the firing mechanism comprises:

a piston slidably retained within the handle;

a compression spring slidably disposed between the piston and an inner proximal surface of the handle;

an eccentric rod having a proximal end securely retained within the piston and a distal end selectively retained within a detent formed in a distal surface of the handle, the eccentric rod pressing the piston against the spring to maintain the spring in a compressed condition; and

a firing button operatively coupled to the handle, the firing button being configured and adapted to disengage the distal end of the eccentric rod from the detent to permit the spring to decompress.

7. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the firing mechanism comprises:

a compression spring slidably retained within the handle; and

a firing button slidably retained within the handle, the firing button including;

a distal end defining a piston;

a proximal end defining a lip configured and adapted to engage an edge of an opening formed in a proximal end of the handle; and

a shaft portion interconnecting the distal and proximal ends of the firing button, wherein the shaft portion and the proximal end of the firing button extend through the compression spring such that the compression spring is disposed between the piston and the proximal end of the handle, and wherein the compression spring is maintained in a compressed condition when the lip of the firing button is engaged with the edge of the opening formed in the proximal end of the handle.

8. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the tissue marking apparatus further comprises:

a locking tab configured and adapted to prevent the manipulation of the firing mechanism.

9. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the locking tab is insertable within the opening formed in the proximal end of the handle, between the proximal end of the firing button and a lower edge of the opening formed in the proximal end of the handle, whereby the locking tab prevents the lip at the proximal end of the firing button from disengaging from the edge of the opening formed in the proximal end of the handle.

10. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the marker is positioned within the tube such that the elongate tail is distally oriented and the capsule is in contact with the push rod.

11. The tissue marking apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the handle of the tissue marking apparatus comprises:

a distal body portion from which the tube extends; and

a proximal body portion, and distal and proximal body portions being configured and adapted to be coupled to one another.

12. A marker, for use with a tissue marking apparatus, for marking a tissue mass of interest within the body of a patient and to be positioned wholly within the patient, the marker comprising:

a capsule;

an elongate tail extending from the capsule; and

at least one radioactive bead retained within the capsule.

13. The marker according to claim 12, wherein the capsule comprises:

a distal capsule portion from which the elongate tail extends; and

a proximal capsule portion defining a chamber therein, wherein the distal capsule portion and the proximal capsule portion are configured and adapted to be secured to one another and to house the at least one radiation bead within the chamber thereof.

14. The marker according to claim 13, wherein the elongate tail has a shape, while in an at rest condition, in which a distal end of the elongate tail approaches a median portion of the elongate tail, the elongate tail being deformable to a substantially linear condition.

15. The marker according to claim 14, wherein the elongate tail is made from a material selected from the group consisting of shape memory alloys and super-elastic materials.

16. A method of marking a biological tissue site, within the body of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting a tissue marking apparatus, having a tissue marker loaded therein, into a desired location of the patient;

firing the tissue marking apparatus such that the tissue marker is ejected from the tissue marking apparatus and at least partially embedded in the body of the patient; and

withdrawing the tissue marking apparatus from the body of the patient with the tissue marker remaining wholly within the body of the patient and positioned proximate the desired location.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the tissue marking apparatus comprises:

a handle;

a tube operatively coupled to a distal end of the handle;

a push rod disposed within the tube and extending into the handle;

a firing mechanism retained within the handle and operatively coupled to a proximal end of the push rod, the firing mechanism being configured and adapted to distally advance the push rod through the tube and fire at least one marker into the body of the patient; and

a potential energy source configured and adapted to rapidly drive the push rod distally through the tube upon an activation of the firing mechanism.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the marker comprises:

a capsule includes a distal capsule portion from which the elongate tail extends and a proximal capsule portion having a chamber formed therein;

an elongate tail extending from the distal capsule portion, the tail having a shape, while in an at rest condition, in which a distal end of the elongate tail approaches a median portion of the elongate tail, the elongate tail being deformable to a substantially linear condition; and

at least one radioactive bead retained within the chamber of the proximal capsule portion.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the firing mechanism comprises:

a piston slidably retained within the handle;

a compression spring slidably disposed within the handle;

an eccentric rod having a proximal end securely retained within the piston and a distal end selectively retained within a detent formed in a proximal surface of the handle, the eccentric rod pressing the piston against the spring to maintain the spring in a compressed condition; and

a firing button operatively coupled to the handle, the firing button being configured and adapted to disengage the distal end of the eccentric rod from the detent to permit the spring to decompress.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the firing mechanism comprises:

a compression spring slidably retained within the handle; and

a firing button slidably retained within the handle, the firing button including;

a distal end defining a piston;

a proximal end defining a lip configured and adapted to engage an edge of an opening formed in a proximal end of the handle; and

a shaft portion interconnecting the distal and proximal ends of the firing button, wherein the shaft portion and the proximal end of the firing button extend through the compression spring such that the compression spring is disposed between the distal end of the firing button and the proximal end of the handle, and wherein the compression spring is maintained in a compressed condition when the lip of the firing button is engaged with the edge of the opening formed in the proximal end of the handle.