The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 20, 2004
Filed:
Jun. 16, 1999
Dirk V. Hoyns, SW. Conyers, GA (US);
Terrell A. Pruitt, Lawrenceville, GA (US);
C. R. Bard, Inc., Murray Hill, NJ (US);
Abstract
An implant for marking a location within the tissue of a patient after biopsy is self-anchoring. In one embodiment a strip of a shape memory alloy such as Nitinol can be straightened to facilitate insertion through a small gauge needle but, once exposed within the tissue to body temperature, assumes a helical coil configuration, thereby mechanically clamping to the tissue. In other embodiments the implants include barbs of resilient, deformable metal which can be straightened for insertion into a small gauge needle, but once the implant exits the forward end of the needle the barbs spring outward, anchoring the implant within the tissue. A method for implanting a plurality of markers within the tissues of a patient involves a needle having a plurality of markers sequentially loaded therewithin. The forward end of the needle is inserted into the tissues of the patient and advanced to a first target location, at which point a first marker is ejected into the tissues of the patient. The forward end of the needle is then relocated to a second target site, and a second marker is ejected into the tissues of the patient.