Devices for defining and marking tissue
View Patent ↗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.
1. 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.
2. A marker instrument, according to claim 1 wherein at least one marker comprises a metal.
3. A marker instrument according to claim 1 wherein at least one marker comprises non-metallic material.
4. A marker instrument according to claim 1 wherein at least one marker has a size different from that of at least one other marker.
5. 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.
6. The device of claim 5 wherein at least one of said markers is radiopaque.
7. The device of claim 5 wherein the device is adapted to be inserted through an outer piercing needle of a biopsy instrument.
8. The device of claim 5 wherein at least one of said markers comprises stainless steel.
9. The device of claim 5 wherein said tissue markers are disposed end to end in said lumen.
10. The device of claim 5 wherein at least one marker has a shape different from that of at least one other marker.
11. The device of claim 5 wherein said markers are disposed in said lumen such that said markers are deployed one at a time.
12. The device of claim 5 wherein at least one marker comprises a metal.
13. The device of claim 5 wherein at least one marker comprises a non-metallic material.
14. 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.
15. 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.