US20030004407A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Minimally invasive surgical
Assignee: Carewise Medical Products Corp
•
Filing: 2002-09-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2022-09-05
Abstract
Abstract A probe or sheath for use on a probe for detecting and removing radioactively tagged tissue, e.g., a sentinel lymph node, within the body of a living being. The probe or sheath and probe is arranged to be inserted through a small percutaneous portal into the patient's body and is movable to various positions adjacent the tagged tissue to detect the presence of radiation therefrom so that it can be positioned immediately adjacent that tissue to ensnare or trap that tissue. The probe or sheath and probe can then be removed from the being's body, carrying the tagged tissue with it. The probe may be constructed to make use of a scintillation crystal, a collimator, adjustable or fixed, and a backshielding lightpipe. A blunt dissecting device is provided as part of the sheath or as part of the probe itself to aid in separating the tagged tissue from adjacent tissue without injury to the adjacent tissue. The probe may be a fully integrated, self-powered unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Carroll
- 👤 Robin Wise
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 00:42
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0233; A61B10/0266; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B17/22031; A61B6/00; A61B6/02; A61B6/03; A61B6/032; A61B6/40; A61B6/4057; A61B6/42; A61B6/4208; A61B6/425; A61B6/4258; A61B6/44; A61B6/4423; G; G01; G01T; G01T1/00; G01T1/16; G01T1/161; A61B10/04; A61B10/06; A61B17/32; A61B17/3205; A61B17/32056; A61B2010/0225; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00079; A61B2017/320044; A61B2017/320048; A61B90/00; A61B90/39; A61B2090/3904; A61B2090/3908; A61B2090/392; A61B6/50; A61B6/506
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
1 . An integrated radiation instrument probe having a small diameter body arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein and for removing such tissue from the body of the being, said probe comprising a radiation detector and associated electronic components for providing electrical signals in response to radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue and which radiation is detected by said radiation detector, means for releasably securing said radioactively tagged tissue to said probe for enabling the secured tissue to be removed from the being's body with the probe, and signaling means for producing signals for providing information regarding the use of the probe to the person using the probe.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
1 . An integrated radiation instrument probe having a small diameter body arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein and for removing such tissue from the body of the being, said probe comprising a radiation detector and associated electronic components for providing electrical signals in response to radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue and which radiation is detected by said radiation detector, means for releasably securing said radioactively tagged tissue to said probe for enabling the secured tissue to be removed from the being's body with the probe, and signaling means for producing signals for providing information regarding the use of the probe to the person using the probe.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
2 . The instrument of claim 1 wherein said probe includes a visual display for providing visual signals to the person.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
3 . The instrument of claim 1 wherein said probe includes a sound generator for providing audible signals to the person.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
4 . The instrument of claim 2 wherein said probe also includes a sound generator for providing audible signals to the person.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
5 . The instrument of claim 1 wherein said probe additionally comprises a blunt tissue dissector arranged to bluntly separate the radioactively tagged tissue from adjacent tissue so that the radioactively tagged tissue may be readily removed from the being's body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
6 . The instrument of claim 5 wherein said blunt tissue dissector includes an inflatable balloon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
7 . The instrument of claim 5 wherein said probe includes a grabbing member for grabbing the radioactively tagged tissue.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
8 . The instrument of claim 7 wherein said grabbing member includes at least one extendable member to ensnare the radioactively tagged tissue.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
9 . The instrument of claim 8 wherein said at least one extendable member is arranged to pierce into the radioactively tagged tissue.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
10 . The instrument of claim 7 wherein said grabbing member includes plural extendable members to engage the radioactively tagged tissue from plural directions to ensnare it.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
11 . The instrument of claim 1 wherein said probe includes a wireless transmitter for transmitting wireless signals in response to operation of said probe.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
12 . The instrument of claim 11 additionally comprising a remote unit arranged to receive wherein said wireless signals.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
13 . The instrument of claim 12 wherein said remote unit includes a visual display for providing visual signals to the person.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
14 . The instrument of claim 12 wherein said probe includes a sound generator for providing audible signals to the person.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
15 . The instrument of claim 13 wherein said probe also includes a sound generator for providing audible signals to the person.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
109 words
16 . An integrated radiation detecting probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein, said probe comprising a radiation detector, associated signal processing components, and signaling means, said signal processing means being arranged for for providing electrical signals in response to radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue and which radiation is detected by said radiation detector, said signaling means being responsive to said electrical signals for providing output signals to a user of said probe, said output signals providing information regarding the use of the probe.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
109 words
16 . An integrated radiation detecting probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein, said probe comprising a radiation detector, associated signal processing components, and signaling means, said signal processing means being arranged for for providing electrical signals in response to radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue and which radiation is detected by said radiation detector, said signaling means being responsive to said electrical signals for providing output signals to a user of said probe, said output signals providing information regarding the use of the probe.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
17 . The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe includes a visual display for providing visually perceptible output signals.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
18 . The instrument of claim 17 wherein said probe includes a sound generator for providing audible output signals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
19 . The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe also includes a sound generator for providing audible output signals.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
20 . The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe includes electric power supply means for powering said probe.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
21 . The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe includes illumination means for illuminating the situs of the radioactively tagged tissue.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
15 words
22 . The instrument of claim 21 wherein said illumination means comprises a fiber-optic member.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
23 . The instrument of claim 16 wherein said probe includes visualization means for visualizing the situs of the radioactively tagged tissue.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
15 words
24 . The instrument of claim 23 wherein said visualization means comprises a fiber-optic member.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
136 words
25 . A radiation detecting system comprising a probe and a remote signaling unit, said probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein and comprising a radiation detector, associated signal processing components, and signaling means, said signal processing means being arranged for for providing electrical signals in response to radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue and which radiation is detected by said radiation detector, said signaling means being responsive to said electrical signals for transmitting wireless signals to said remote signaling unit, said remote signaling unit being responsive to said wireless signals for providing output signals for a user of said system, said output signals providing information regarding the use of the probe.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
136 words
25 . A radiation detecting system comprising a probe and a remote signaling unit, said probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein and comprising a radiation detector, associated signal processing components, and signaling means, said signal processing means being arranged for for providing electrical signals in response to radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue and which radiation is detected by said radiation detector, said signaling means being responsive to said electrical signals for transmitting wireless signals to said remote signaling unit, said remote signaling unit being responsive to said wireless signals for providing output signals for a user of said system, said output signals providing information regarding the use of the probe.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
26 . The system of claim 25 wherein said unit includes a visual display for providing visually perceptible output signals.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
27 . The system of claim 25 wherein said unit includes a sound generator for providing audible output signals.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
20 words
28 . The system of claim 26 wherein said unit also includes a sound generator for providing audible output signals.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
29 . The system of claim 25 wherein said probe includes electric power supply means for powering said probe.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
30 . The system of claim 25 wherein said probe includes illumination means for illuminating the situs of the radioactively tagged tissue.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
31 . The system of claim 30 wherein said illumination means comprises a fiber-optic member.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
22 words
32 . The system of claim 25 wherein said probe includes visualization means for visualizing the situs of the radioactively tagged tissue.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
33 . The system of claim 32 wherein said visualization means comprises a fiber-optic member.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
186 words
34 . A radiation detecting probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein, said probe comprising a housing, a radiation detector located within said housing for detecting radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue, and a collimator, said housing being formed of a radiation blocking material and having an opening therein forming a window through which radiation from the radioactively tagged tissue may pass, said collimator comprising at least one radiation blocking septa located adjacent said opening, said septum being adapted to be moved from a retracted position to an extended position, and vice versa, said septum when in said retracted position enabling said radiation detector to receives radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged source within a first solid angle of acceptance, said septum when in said extended position enabling said radiation detector to receives radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged source within a second solid angle of acceptance, said second solid angle of acceptance being narrower than said first solid angle of acceptance.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
186 words
34 . A radiation detecting probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein, said probe comprising a housing, a radiation detector located within said housing for detecting radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue, and a collimator, said housing being formed of a radiation blocking material and having an opening therein forming a window through which radiation from the radioactively tagged tissue may pass, said collimator comprising at least one radiation blocking septa located adjacent said opening, said septum being adapted to be moved from a retracted position to an extended position, and vice versa, said septum when in said retracted position enabling said radiation detector to receives radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged source within a first solid angle of acceptance, said septum when in said extended position enabling said radiation detector to receives radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged source within a second solid angle of acceptance, said second solid angle of acceptance being narrower than said first solid angle of acceptance.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
15 words
35 . The radiation detecting probe of claim 34 wherein said collimator comprises plural septa.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
36 words
36 . The radiation detecting probe of claim 34 wherein said septum are arranged to fold outward into said opening to divide said window into plural passageways through which radiation may pass to said radiation detector.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
36 words
37 . The radiation detecting probe of claim 35 wherein said septa are arranged to fold outward into said opening to divide said window into plural passageways through which radiation may pass to said radiation detector.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
89 words
38 . A radiation detecting probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein, the radioactively tagged tissue having been tagged with a radioactive agent selected from the group consisting of Technetium 99 m and Indium 111, said probe comprising a housing, a radiation detector located within said housing for detecting radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue, said radiation detector comprising a scintillation crystal of Gadolineum Orthosilicate.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
89 words
38 . A radiation detecting probe having a small housing arranged to be held within the hand of a person for insertion into the body of a living being to locate radioactively tagged tissue therein, the radioactively tagged tissue having been tagged with a radioactive agent selected from the group consisting of Technetium 99 m and Indium 111, said probe comprising a housing, a radiation detector located within said housing for detecting radiation emanating from the radioactively tagged tissue, said radiation detector comprising a scintillation crystal of Gadolineum Orthosilicate.
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