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US 7,044,957 B2Granted
Devices for defining and marking tissue
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorsSeth A. Foerster, Fred H. Burbank, Mark A. Ritchart, Elias A. Zerhouni
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In order to later identify the location of a biopsy or surgery, various means and methods for permanently and non-surgically marking selected tissue in the human body are used. Later visualization of the markers is readily accomplished using state-of-the-art imaging systems.
Claims15
A marker instrument comprising:
- a cube comprising:
- a lumen;
- an axial opening at a proximal end of said tube;
- a closed tip at a distal end of said tube;
- a side exit port proximal to said closed tip;
- and
- a plurality of marker elements disposed in said lumen;
- wherein said plurality of marker elements includes at least one radiopaque marker element, and wherein at least one marker has a shape different from that of at least one other marker.
5 more elements
A device for deploying a tissue marker at a biopsy site, the device comprising:
- a lube comprising:
- a lumen;
- and
- a side exit port communicating with said lumen;
- a plurality of tissue markers disposed in said lumen proximal of said side exit port;
- an element slidably disposed in said lumen for pushing said markers distally in said lumen for deployment of said markers through said side exit port;
- wherein at least one of said markers is visible using an imaging system, and wherein at least one marker has a size different from that of at least one other marker.
4 more elements
A device for deploying a tissue marker at a biopsy site, the device comprising:
- a tube comprising:
- a lumen;
- a side exit port communicating with said lumen;
- a plurality of discrete tissue markers disposed in said lumen, wherein at least one marker has a size different from that of at least one other marker;
- and
- an element disposed in said lumen for pushing said markers distally in said lumen for deployment of said markers through said side exit port.
3 more elements
A device for deploying a tissue marker at a biopsy site, the device comprising:
- a tube comprising:
- a lumen;
- a side exit port communicating with said lumen;
- a plurality of discrete tissue markers disposed in said lumen, wherein at least one marker has a shape different from that of at least one other marker;
- and
- an element disposed in said lumen for pushing said markers distally in said lumen for deployment of said markers through said side exit port.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.