Patent ID: 6575991
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: A61B,A61M

Abstract:
A biopsy marking apparatus for the percutaneous placement of a marker at a biopsy site in a tissue mass to facilitate subsequent determination of the location of the biopsy site, the biopsy marking apparatus comprising:an introducer having: a handle to be grasped by a user; a cannula having a proximal end mounted to the handle and a distal end defining an insertion tip, a stylet slidably received within the cannula for movement between a ready position in which a distal end of the stylet is spaced inwardly from the insertion tip to form a marker recess between the distal end of the stylet and the insertion tip, and an extended position in which the distal end of the stylet extends at least to the insertion tip to effectively fill the marker recess, a plunger movably mounted to the handle and operably engaging the stylet, the plunger being movable between a first position and a second position for moving the stylet between the ready position and the extended position, and a latch for fixing the stylet in the extended position to prevent retraction of the stylet from the extended position; and a radiopaque marker disposed within the marker recess, whereby when the plunger is moved between the first and second positions, the stylet is moved from the ready to the extended position to eject the radiopaque marker from the marker recess and the latch fixes the stylet in the extended position to prevent the return of the radiopaque marker to the marker recess.