Patent · US Expired

Methods and apparatus for securing medical instruments to desired locations in a patients body

US6540693B2 · kind B2 · utility

145Cited by
86References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 1, 1998
Grant dateApr 1, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 1, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2090/3991
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

Devices and methods are provided for securely affixing a medical instrument to desired tissue in a patient's body, using a fixation agent. Such medical instruments may comprise localization wires or tissue acquisition instruments, such as biopsy instruments, for example. In the case of tissue acquisition instruments, the inventors have discovered significant advantages for securely affixing the distal end of the tissue acquisition instrument to a particular tissue target area. For example, such an approach permits the imaging environment to be uncoupled from the procedural environment so that expensive and often unavailable imaging equipment, such as stereotactic imaging equipment, need not be used. In a preferred embodiment, a bonding agent, such as adhesive, surgical glue, or a solvent, is used as the fixation agent.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.