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Self-actuating breast lesion probe and method of using

  • US 4,616,656 A
  • Filed: 03/19/1985
  • Issued: 10/14/1986
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1985
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of locating a lesion, especially a method for locating a presymptomatic, non-palpable breast lesion, comprising the steps of:

  • (A) mammographically determining the probable location of such lesion;

    (B) selecting a probe wire that has at its distal end a relatively small memory hook and a predetermined degree of soft flexibility;

    (C) sheathing the probe wire in a needle cannula whereat the wire assumes the straight configuration of the cannula and the distal ends of the wire and cannula are in a predetermined relationship as evidenced by observation of graduated scale markings on the proximal portion of the wire;

    (D) maintaining such determined relationship and initially inserting the assembled cannula and probe wire unit into the body tissue to a depth whereat said distal endsd are at about the site of said lesion;

    (E) mammographically determining if placement of such distal ends is within a predetermined spacing with regard to the lesion;

    (F) repositioning the unit and mammographically determining each aforedescribed placement of said unit until the desired accuracy is achieved;

    (G) solely moving the probe wire forwardly to an extent, as determined by further observation of said graduated scale markings, whereby to only free the distal end portion having the memorty hook and whereby the distal end of the probe wire assumes the hook configuration to thereby anchor itself in the tissue;

    (H) mammographically determining the spatial relationship of the anchored end of the probe wire to the lesion with regard to a desired accuracy thereof;

    (I) relying on said characteristic of soft flexibility of the probe wire, manually actuating the probe wire to release and easily slide from its anchored position in the tissue to a fully sheathed location within the cannula at said predetermined relationship of the distal ends without injury to the tissue when said desired accuracy has not been effected; and

    (J) repositioning the unit as aforedescribed, reanchoring the probe wire as aforedescribed, and repeating the aforedescribed mammographic determinations until the desired accuracy of the spatial relationship of the anchored end of the probe wire to the lesion site is effected.

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