Ultrasound-Guided Procedures

Abstract

A method of performing an ultrasound-guided procedure may include (a) providing a medical device that has (i) a therapeutic distal tip configured to percutaneously alter internal tissue or bone at a treatment site of a patient; (ii) a source of biocompatible fluid; and (iii) a delivery system configured to selectively deliver a quantity of the biocompatible fluid, with echogenic microbubbles therein, to an area external and adjacent to the therapeutic distal tip. The method may further include subcutaneously advancing the therapeutic distal tip toward the treatment site; delivering a quantity of biocompatible fluid with echogenic microbubbles to the area; observing, via ultrasound, an anatomic structure proximate the treatment site and dispersion of the echogenic microbubbles at the area; and based on a nature and location of the dispersion, steering the therapeutic distal tip relative to the anatomic structure, and continuing to advance the therapeutic distal tip toward the treatment site.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.