Sheath and methods of ultrasonic guidance for biopsy and catheter insertion
First Claim
1. A sheath for being inserted into a patient'"'"'s body through a surgical port, said sheath receiving an ultrasonic probe and for guiding one of (1) a rigid elongated instrument inserted into said port parallel to said ultrasonic probe, or (2) a rigid elongated member inserted through a separate puncture, said sheath comprising a tubular member defining a lumen for receiving an ultrasonic probe and a rigid elongated instrument, and said sheath further defining an elongated keyhole-shaped slot aligned along the axis of said sheath and having a first portion too narrow to pass said rigid elongated member, terminating at a distal end of said sheath, and a second relatively wider portion spaced from said distal end of said sheath and wide enough to receive said rigid elongated member, said sheath further comprising means for retaining said instrument and said probe in defined parallel relation to one another and to said slot.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sheath for receiving an ultrasonic probe and for defining the relative position of the probe with respect to a biopsy gun or a rigid needle is used for precise placement of the biopsy gun or needle tip in a structure. The sheath may comprise a keyhole-shaped slot for placement of a rigid needle through a puncture separate from a surgical port through which the sheath itself and the probe are introduced. A flexible catheter can thus be placed in a structure, using the ultrasonic probe to monitor its placement, followed by removal of the probe sheath and surgical port, leaving the catheter in place.
60 Citations
32 Claims
- 1. A sheath for being inserted into a patient'"'"'s body through a surgical port, said sheath receiving an ultrasonic probe and for guiding one of (1) a rigid elongated instrument inserted into said port parallel to said ultrasonic probe, or (2) a rigid elongated member inserted through a separate puncture, said sheath comprising a tubular member defining a lumen for receiving an ultrasonic probe and a rigid elongated instrument, and said sheath further defining an elongated keyhole-shaped slot aligned along the axis of said sheath and having a first portion too narrow to pass said rigid elongated member, terminating at a distal end of said sheath, and a second relatively wider portion spaced from said distal end of said sheath and wide enough to receive said rigid elongated member, said sheath further comprising means for retaining said instrument and said probe in defined parallel relation to one another and to said slot.
- 5. A sheath for being inserted into a patient'"'"'s body through a surgical port, said sheath defining a lumen for receiving an ultrasonic probe and a keyhole-shaped slot for guiding a rigid elongated member inserted through a separate puncture, said keyhole-shaped slot being aligned along the axis of said sheath and having a first portion too narrow to pass said rigid elongated member, terminating at a distal end of said sheath, and a second relatively wider portion spaced from said distal end of said sheath and wide enough to receive said rigid elongated member, said sheath further comprising means for retaining said probe in defined relation to said slot.
- 11. A sheath for being inserted into a patient'"'"'s body through a surgical port, said sheath receiving an articulated ultrasonic probe and a rigid elongated instrument inserted into said port parallel to said ultrasonic probe, said sheath comprising a tubular member defining a lumen for receiving both of said probe and said instrument, means for retaining said probe and said instrument in predetermined radial relation to one another, and further comprising means for allowing said articulated ultrasonic probe to be bent in directions away from said instrument, while precluding said probe from being bent so as to come into contact with said instrument.
- 15. In combination, an ultrasonic probe and a tubular sheath for being received in a lumen in a surgical port inserted into a patient'"'"'s body, said sheath having a lumen for receiving said ultrasonic probe, said sheath further defining a keyhole-shaped slot aligned along the axis of said sheath and terminating at a distal end of said sheath, said slot having a first portion too narrow to pass a rigid elongated member inserted into the body of a patient through a separate puncture, and a second relatively wider portion spaced from said distal end of said sheath and wide enough to receive said rigid elongated member, said sheath further comprising means for retaining said probe radially spaced from said slot.
Specification