Patent ID: 8068895

Claim:
An instrument for deploying a marker at a site within a patient, the instrument comprising: (a) a first elongate member having a proximal end and a distal end, the first elongate member further comprising a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface, the top surface comprising a resilient portion defining a compartment configured to receive a marker when the resilient portion is in a generally concave configuration, wherein the bottom surface is in a generally linear configuration when the resilient portion of the top surface is in the generally concave configuration; (b) a marker disposed within the compartment defined by the resilient portion in a generally concave configuration; and (c) a second elongate member disposed within the first elongate member; wherein the first elongate member and the second elongate member are configured such that the second elongate member may move longitudinally relative to the first elongate member, wherein the resilient portion of the first elongate member is configured to actuate outwardly to a generally convex configuration to deploy the marker upon engaged relative longitudinal movement of the second elongate member relative to the first elongate member, wherein the bottom surface is in the generally linear configuration when the resilient portion of the top surface is in the generally convex configuration, and wherein the resilient portion extends outward from the first elongate member when in the convex configuration.