Fibrous marker and intracorporeal delivery thereof

• US 8,880,154 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2013
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Senorx Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Senorx Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Jones, Michael L., Lubock, Paul, Malchow, Lloyd H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luong, Peter
• Application Number:
  US13/946,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20130310686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 600/420, 600/426, 600/431, 600/414
• US Class Current: 600/431
• 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 2017/00637 for sealing trocar wounds through abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00898 expandable upon contact with fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3908 Soft tissue, e.g. breast tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/392 Radioactive markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3925 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3954 magnetic, e.g. NMR or MRI
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3987 Applicators for implanting markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers

Abstract

An intracorporeal marker includes a fibrous unitary marker body having bioabsorbable fibers compressed into a compressed configuration, and bound in the compressed configuration by a polymer binding agent. The intracorporeal marker may be incorporated into an intracorporeal marker delivery device having a delivery cannula which has a distal tip, an inner lumen and a discharge opening in communication with the inner lumen. The compression and binding occur prior to insertion of the fibrous unitary marker body into the inner lumen of the delivery cannula. The fibrous unitary marker body is slidably disposed within and pushable through the inner lumen of the elongated delivery cannula proximal to the discharge opening.

Claims

1. An intracorporeal marker comprising a fibrous unitary marker body having bioabsorbable fibers compressed into a compressed configuration, and bound in the compressed configuration by a polymer binding agent.

2. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, wherein a radiopaque marker element is incorporated into the fibrous unitary marker body.

3. The intracorporeal marker of claim 2, wherein the radiopaque marker element is disposed about the fibrous unitary marker body.

4. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, wherein the bioabsorbable fibers comprise a bioabsorbable material selected from the group consisting of cellulose, polylactic acid, a copolymer of polylactic acid and glycolic acid, and polycaprolactone.

5. The intracorporeal marker of claim 4, wherein the cellulose is oxidized, regenerated cellulose.

6. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, wherein the bioabsorbable fibers comprise a woven fabric.

7. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, wherein the bioabsorbable fibers comprise a felt fabric.

8. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, wherein the polymer binding agent comprises one or more water soluble polymers selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl pyrollidone.

9. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, wherein the fibrous unitary marker body includes at least one bioactive component selected from the group consisting of therapeutic and diagnostic agents incorporated therein.

10. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, wherein the bioabsorbable fibers comprise a material selected from the group consisting of polylactic acid, a co-polymer of polylactic acid and glycolic acid, polycaprolactone, collagen and mixtures thereof, including mixtures with oxidized cellulose.

11. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, further comprising a constricting member configured to hold a portion of the fibrous unitary marker body to prevent an expansion of the portion upon contact with a water-based fluid.

12. The intracorporeal marker of claim 11, wherein the constricting member is a radiographically detectable marker element.

13. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, wherein the fibrous unitary marker body comprises a core of bioabsorbable felt surrounded by a bioabsorbable fabric jacket.

14. The intracorporeal marker of claim 1, wherein a radiopaque marker element is incorporated into the fibrous unitary marker body.

15. An intracorporeal marker delivery device, comprising:

a delivery cannula which has a distal tip, an inner lumen and a discharge opening in communication with the inner lumen; and

a fibrous unitary marker body comprising bioabsorbable fibers which is compressed into a compressed configuration and bound in the compressed configuration by a binding agent prior to insertion into the inner lumen of the delivery cannula, the fibrous unitary marker body being slidably disposed within and pushable through the inner lumen of the elongated delivery cannula proximal to the discharge opening.

16. The intracorporeal marker delivery device of claim 15, wherein the bioabsorbable fibers expand upon contact with body fluid or other water based fluid.

17. The intracorporeal marker delivery device of claim 15, further comprising a short term ultrasonically detectable marker slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the delivery cannula proximal to the discharge opening.

18. The intracorporeal marker delivery device of claim 15, wherein the discharge opening of the delivery cannula is occluded by a bioabsorbable plug to prevent the premature contact of the fibrous unitary marker body within the inner lumen with body fluids at a tissue site.

19. An intracorporeal marker comprising a fibrous unitary marker body having bioabsorbable fibers compressed into a compressed configuration, and bound in the compressed configuration by a binding agent.

20. The intracorporeal marker of claim 19, wherein the fibrous unitary marker body comprises a core of bioabsorbable felt surrounded by a bioabsorbable fabric jacket.