Methods and systems for marking post biopsy cavity sites
First Claim
1. A device to deliver a soft tissue marker, comprising:
- an introducer that defines an internal lumen;
a plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements disposed within the internal lumen, each being formed of at least one of a porous material and a non-porous material, anda radiopaque element disposed within the internal lumen adjacent to at least one of the plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements, the radiopaque element being external to and uncoupled from each of the plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of marking a cavity in a breast for subsequent visualization may include steps of providing a device having a delivery opening, a first marker and a second marker, the first and second markers being movable through the delivery opening, the first marker being configured to be visualized by ultrasound and the second marker configured to be radiopaque, the first and second markers being free to move relative to one another; introducing the device into a breast so that the delivery opening is positioned in a cavity formed in the breast; and moving the first marker and the second marker through the delivery opening and into the cavity in the breast, the first and second markers being free to move relative to one another when delivered into the cavity so that the first and second markers may take a number of different positions relative to one another when positioned within the cavity.
83 Citations
103 Claims
-
1. A device to deliver a soft tissue marker, comprising:
-
an introducer that defines an internal lumen; a plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements disposed within the internal lumen, each being formed of at least one of a porous material and a non-porous material, and a radiopaque element disposed within the internal lumen adjacent to at least one of the plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements, the radiopaque element being external to and uncoupled from each of the plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A soft tissue marker for delivery to a biopsy site within a patient, comprising:
-
a plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements, each being formed of at least one of a porous material and a non-porous material, and a radiopaque element disposed adjacent to at least one of the plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements, the radiopaque element being external to and uncoupled from each of the plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
-
43. A method for marking a biopsy site within a patient, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a device having a proximal end, an open distal end, an internal lumen and a piston that is movable within the internal lumen;
a plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements disposed within the internal lumen, each of which being formed of at least one of a porous material and a non-porous material, and a radiopaque element disposed within the internal lumen adjacent to at least one of the plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements, the radiopaque element being external to and uncoupled from each of the plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable porous elements;introducing the distal end of the device into the biopsy site, and advancing the piston in a distal direction so that the plurality of discrete substantially non-swellable elements and the radiopaque element are pushed out the open distal end of the device and into the biopsy site. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
-
-
64. A method of marking a cavity in a breast for subsequent visualization, comprising the steps of:
-
providing a device having a delivery opening, a first marker and a second marker, the first and second markers being movable through the delivery opening, the first marker being configured to be visualized by ultrasound and the second marker configured to be radiopaque, the first and second markers being free to move relative to one another; introducing the device into a breast so that the delivery opening is positioned in a cavity formed in the breast; and moving the first marker and the second marker through the delivery opening and into the cavity in the breast, the first and second markers being free to move relative to one another when delivered into the cavity so that the first and second markers may take a number of different positions relative to one another when positioned within the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
-
-
90. A soft tissue marker for delivery to a cavity within a patient, comprising:
-
a plurality of discrete echogenic and biodegradable elements; a radiopaque element disposed adjacent to at least one and external to each of the plurality of discrete echogenic and biodegradable elements, and a biodegradable string coupling at least some of the plurality of discrete echogenic and biodegradable elements. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
-
-
97. A soft tissue marker for delivery to a cavity within a patient, comprising:
-
a plurality of discrete echogenic and biodegradable elements, each of the plurality of discrete echogenic and biodegradable elements defining a longitudinal axis and including at least one of a leading and a trailing surface that is inclined away from a normal to the longitudinal axis, and a radiopaque element disposed adjacent to at least one and external to each of the plurality of discrete echogenic and biodegradable elements. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99)
-
-
100. A soft tissue marker for delivery into a cavity within a patient, comprising:
-
a first echogenic and biodegradable element that defines a first plurality of crenellations that define a corresponding first plurality of locally thinner and thicker portions; a second echogenic and biodegradable element that defines a second plurality of crenellations that define a corresponding second plurality of locally thinner and thicker portions, and a radiopaque element disposed adjacent to at least one of the first and second echogenic and biodegradable elements and external to each of the first and second echogenic and biodegradable elements. - View Dependent Claims (101, 102, 103)
-
Specification