Systems, devices and methods for aspirating fluids that collect around tissue expanders that are implanted in breast tissue

A method of removing fluid from a breast tissue surrounding a tissue expander comprising:

• using a magnetic detector for identifying a location of an injection port of a tissue expander that is implanted in breast tissue of a patient;
• placing a mark on the patient's skin to provide a visual indicator of the location of the injection port of the tissue expander;
• obtaining a needle having a shaft that surrounds a lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the shaft, the needle including a closed tip at the distal end of the shaft and at least one lateral opening formed in an outer wall of the shaft that is in fluid communication with the lumen;
• inserting the closed tip of the needle into the mark placed on the skin of the patient;
• advancing the closed tip of the needle through the skin of the patient, the breast tissue of the patient, and the injection port of the tissue expander until the closed tip of the needle contacts a needle guard of the injection port;
• visually confirming that the at least one lateral opening of the needle is not located outside of the skin of the patient for ensuring that the at least one lateral opening of the needle is located inside the breast tissue of the patient;
• aspirating fluid from the breast tissue via the at least one lateral opening of the needle.

A method of removing fluid from breast tissue that surrounds a tissue expander comprising:

• using a magnetic detector for identifying a location of an injection port of a tissue expander that is implanted in a breast pocket formed in breast tissue of a patient, the injection port including a magnet detectable by the magnetic detector;
• marking skin of the patient to provide an external visual indicator on the skin of the location of the injection port of the tissue expander;
• obtaining a needle having a shaft that surrounds a lumen, the lumen extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the shaft, the needle including a closed tip at the distal end of the shaft and at least one lateral opening formed in an outer wall of the shaft that is in fluid communication with the lumen;
• advancing the closed tip of the needle through the external visual indicator, the skin, the breast tissue and the injection port until the closed tip of the needle contacts a needle guard of the injection port;
• visually confirming that the at least one lateral opening of the needle is not located outside the skin of the patient for ensuring that the at least one lateral opening of the needle is located inside the breast tissue of the patient;
• aspirating fluid from the breast tissue of the patient that surrounds the tissue expander via the at least one lateral opening of the needle.