SOFT TISSUE MARKER FOR ATTACHMENT TO A SURGICAL EXCISION BED AND METHOD OF MARKING SURGICAL SITE

1 . A marker device, comprising:

an elongate element;

a needle disposed at a distal end of the elongate element; and

at least one radiopaque marker element coupled to or disposed on at least a portion of an outer surface of the elongate element.

2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the elongate element is suture.

3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiopaque marker includes portions having different radiopacities.

4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiopaque marker element includes a helical coil.

5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the helical coil is wrapped around the elongate element.

6 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the helical coil includes portions having different winding densities, and wherein the different winding densities have different radiopacities.

7 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the helical coil includes a plurality of high-density winding portions that are spaced apart along at least a portion of the elongate element.

8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of high-density winding portions are unconnected.

9 . The device of claim 5 , wherein the helical coil includes a plurality of high-density winding portions that are separated by low-density winding portions along at least a portion of the elongate element.

10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of high-density winding portions comprise different radiopacities.

11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the high-density winding portions and the low-density winding portion create a pattern of radiopacity.

12 . The device of claim 11 , wherein the pattern of radiopacity repeats along the elongate element.

13 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one radiopaque marker element is configured for varying tactile and visual feedback via modifications of a coil density of the helical coil.

14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one radiopaque marker element includes a plurality of connected radiopaque marker elements.

15 . A method of manufacturing a marker device, comprising:

providing an elongate element; and

wrapping a radiopaque helical coil around the elongate element.

16 . The method of manufacturing of claim 15 , further comprising coupling a needle to a distal end of the elongate element.

17 . The method of manufacturing of claim 15 , wherein wrapping the radiopaque helical coil includes wrapping a plurality of high-density winding portions and wrapping a plurality of low-density winding portions, wherein the high-density winding portions are separated by the plurality of low-density winding portions.

18 . The method of manufacturing of claim 15 , further comprising stretching one or more portions of the helical coil to form a radiopaque marker element having different winding densities, wherein the different winding densities have different radiopacities.

19 . The method of manufacturing of claim 15 , wherein the elongate element is suture.

20 . A method of suturing a marker device comprising

obtaining a marker device comprising:

an suture;

a needle disposed at a distal end of the suture; and

a radiopaque marker element helically coiled around on at least a portion of an outer surface of the suture, wherein the radiopaque marker comprises a plurality of different winding densities, each winding density providing a different radiopacity;

suturing the marker device at a surgical site by sewing soft tissue at boundaries of an excision site, the different winding densities of the radiopaque marker providing different radiopaque levels for identifying locations of the excision site based on the different radiopaque levels; and

removing the needle from the marker device.