Absorbable sponge with contrasting agent

• US 6,183,497 B1
• Filed: 06/17/1999
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allen Family Trust, Andrew H. Cragg, Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation), Bruce Feuchter, FirstMark II LP (FirstMark Capital, LLC), Geoffrey O. Hartzler, George Wallace, Pacific Venture Group II, L.P., PVG Associates II, L.P., Kingsbury Capital Partners, L.P. III (Timothy J. Wollaeger, MBA), Kingsbury Capital Partners, L.P. IV (Timothy J. Wollaeger, MBA)
• Original Assignee: Sub-Q, Inc. (Merit Medical Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sing, Eduardo Chi, Ashby, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trinh, (Vikki) Hoa B.
• Application Number:
  US09/335,452
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 606/213, 606/215, 606/216, 604/51, 604/59-61, 604/48, 604/57, 604/38
• US Class Current: 606/213
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00637 for sealing trocar wounds through abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00654 entirely comprised between the two sides of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3933 Liquid markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/03 Computed tomography [CT] echo-tomography A61B8/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/481 involving the use of contrast agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/485 involving fluorescence X-ray imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/481 involving the use of contrast agent, e.g. microbubbles introduced into the bloodstream analysis of echo signal exploiting properties of a contrast enhancer in devices for short-range imaging with acoustic waves G01S7/52039
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/005 for contrast media

Abstract

An absorbable sponge containing a contrasting agent (e.g, radiopaque agent) that can be introduced to a biopsy tract or other puncture wound site is provided. The contrasting agent permits identification of the site by fluoroscopy or other imaging techniques.

Claims

1. A method for marking a bodily site in a patient comprising the steps of:

identifying the bodily site;

positioning an absorbable sponge material substantially at the bodily site wherein the absorbable sponge material includes a contrasting agent that is substantially dispersed throughout the absorbable sponge material; and

locating the position of the bodily site by detecting the contrasting agent.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the contrasting agent is water insoluble.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the contrasting agent is selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tantalum oxide, barium sulfate, gold, tungsten, and platinum and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the contrasting agent is water soluble.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the contrasting agent is selected from the group consisting of metrizamide, iopamidol, iothalamate sodium, iodomide sodium, and meglumine and mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the sponge material comprises a gelatin based sponge.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of detecting the contrasting agent employs an imaging technique.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of detecting the contrasting agent employs an imaging technique.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of detecting the contrasting agent employs an imaging technique.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of positioning the pledget comprises injecting the absorbable sponge through a cannula.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the absorbable sponge is injected through a biopsy needle.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the absorbable sponge is in a hydrated state.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the pledget becomes absorbed within 1 to 6 weeks.

14. A method for contrasting a bodily site in a patient comprising the steps of:

identifying the bodily site;

positioning a biocompatible, liquid permeable absorbable sponge substantially at the bodily site wherein the sponge comprises a matrix that has a contrasting agent incorporated therein characterized in that the contrasting agent is substantially dispersed throughout the sponge; and

locating the position of the bodily site by detecting the contrasting agent.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the contrasting agent is water insoluble.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the contrasting agent is selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tantalum oxide, barium sulfate, gold, tungsten, and platinum and mixtures thereof.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the contrasting agent is water soluble.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the contrasting agent is selected from the group consisting of metrizamide, iopamidol, iothalamate sodium, iodomide sodium, and meglumine and mixtures thereof.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the sponge material comprises a gelatin based sponge.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of detecting the contrasting agent employs an imaging technique.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of detecting the contrasting agent employs an imaging technique.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of detecting the contrasting agent employs an imaging technique.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of positioning the absorbable sponge comprises injecting the absorbable sponge through a cannula.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the absorbable sponge is injected through a biopsy needle.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the absorbable sponge is in a hydrated state.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein the absorbable sponge becomes absorbed with in 1 to 6 weeks.

27. A method for contrasting a bodily site in a patient comprising the step of a

positioning an absorbable sponge material substantially at the bodily site wherein the absorbable material includes a contrasting agent that is substantially dispersed throughout the absorbable sponge material.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of locating the position of the bodily site by detecting the contrasting agent.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein the absorbable sponge material is absorbed within 1 to 6 weeks.

30. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of identifying the bodily site before positioning the absorbable sponge material.