Target tissue localization device and method

• US 6,179,860 B1
• Filed: 08/18/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Artemis Medical, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Artemis Medical, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Fulton, Richard Eustis III, Dubrul, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRUONG, KEVIN THAO
• Application Number:
  US09/376,678
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 606/198, 606/200, 606/213, 606/214, 606/114, 606/117, 606/127, 606/116, 600/567
• US Class Current: 606/200
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3908 Soft tissue, e.g. breast tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/04 in the body, e.g. expansible A61M25/10, A61M16/0488 take precedence

Abstract

A target tissue localization device (28) has outer and inner members (30, 32) which are longitudinally movable relative to one another. An anchor (42) is secured to the outer and inner members and is movable from a radially-contracted configuration to a radially-expanded configuration. The anchor may be a tubular mesh anchor. The anchor may have a sufficiently large cross-sectional area when in the radially-expanded configuration to substantially eliminate inadvertent dislodgment of the anchor once radially-expanded. In use, the location of the target tissue (56) is determined and the distal end of the localization device is passed through the patient'"'"'s skin (58) and to the target tissue to create a tissue track (60) between the patient'"'"'s skin and the target tissue. The target tissue includes near and far sides (62, 64). The anchor element, located at the target tissue is expanded to an expanded configuration. The method the anchor element may be located on the far side of the target tissue. The localization device may be selected with an anchor which is palpable for relocation of the target tissue.

Claims

1. A target tissue localization device, for localizing target tissue within a soft tissue region of a patient, comprising:

an elongate placement device comprising;

a first member having a distal portion; and

a second member carried by the first member and being longitudinally movable relative thereto;

an anchor having first and second portions secured to the first and second members, respectively;

said anchor being a soft-tissue-penetrating tubular mesh anchor movable from a first, radially contracted configuration to a second, radially expanded configuration;

said placement device and anchor being sized and configured for use in localization of target tissue.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the first member is a tubular member and the second member is slidably housed within the first member.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the second member comprises a flexible wire and the first member comprises a stiff tube.

4. The device according to claim 2 wherein the first and second members are stiff members.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second portions of the anchor are proximal and distal portions of the anchor.

6. The device according to claim 5 wherein the second member has a pointed distal end.

7. The device according to claim 5 wherein the first and second members have distal ends and the first and second portions of the anchor are secured to the distal ends of the first and second members, respectively.

8. The device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second members have distal ends and the first and second portions of the anchor are secured to the distal ends of the first and second members, respectively.

9. The device according to claim 1 wherein:

said anchor has first and second cross-sectional areas, lying in radially-oriented planes, when in the first and second configurations, said second area being at least four times said first area.

10. The device according to claim 1 wherein the anchor is a soft-breast-tissue-penetrating tubular mesh anchor.

11. The device according to claim 1 wherein the tubular mesh anchor has a circular cross-sectional shape.

12. The device according to claim 11 wherein the tubular mesh anchor has a circumferentially continuous, at least substantially fluid-impermeable surface.

13. The device according to claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the tubular mesh anchor is a disk-shaped portion having a circumferentially continuous, at least substantially fluid-impermeable surface.