Patent ID: 7497862

Claim:
A tissue marking apparatus for marking a tissue mass of interest within the body of a patient, the tissue marking apparatus comprising: a handle; a tube operatively coupled to a distal end of the handle; a push rod disposed within the tube and extending into the handle; a firing mechanism retained within the handle and operatively coupled to a proximal end of the push rod, the firing mechanism being configured and adapted to store a potential energy and upon activation thereof to release said stored potential energy to distally advance the push rod through the tube, the potential energy source configured and adapted to rapidly drive the push rod distally through the tube upon an activation of the firing mechanism, the firing mechanism comprising: a compression spring slidably retained within the handle; and a firing button slidably retained within the handle, the firing button including: a distal end defining a piston; a proximal end defining a lip configured and adapted to engage an edge of an opening formed in a proximal end of the handle; and a shaft portion interconnecting the distal and proximal ends of the firing button, wherein the shaft portion and the proximal end of the firing button extend through the compression spring such that the compression spring is disposed between the piston and the proximal end of the handle, and wherein the compression spring is maintained in a compressed condition when the lip of the firing button is engaged with the edge of the opening formed in the proximal end of the handle; and a marker configured and dimensioned to be slidably received within the tube at a location distal of the push rod; a capsule defining a chamber therein; an elongate tail extending from a distal end thereof, the tail having a shape, while in an at rest condition, in which a distal end of the elongate tail approaches a median portion of the elongate tail, the elongate tail being deformable to a substantially linear condition; and at least one radioactive bead retained within the chamber of the capsule.