Echogenic needle tip

Claim 2

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body with an outer surface; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet echogenic; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; and said indentation pierces said outer surface of said stylet body and said indentation is directed into said stylet body away from said outer surface, and along an axis that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline, in order not to impede the movement of the stylet through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 3

The stylet of claim 1 wherein: said indentation is concave.

Claim 4

The stylet of claim 1 wherein: said indentation is made by creating at least one hole at the end of the stylet tip.

Claim 5

The stylet of claim 1 wherein: rearwardly of the indentations, the stylet body is smooth in order to provide for smooth passage of the stylet body through tissue.

Claim 6

The stylet of claim 1 wherein: said indentation is elliptical.

Claim 7

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a solid stylet body; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; and a hole provided in the stylet body adjacent to the stylet tip in order to make the stylet echogenic.

Claim 8

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a solid stylet body; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; and a hole provided in the stylet body adjacent to the stylet tip in order to make the stylet echogenic.

Claim 9

The stylet of claim 6 wherein: said solid stylet body has a first longitudinal centerline; and said hole is provided on a second centerline which is spaced from the first longitudinal centerline.

Claim 10

The stylet of claim 6 wherein: said hole pierces an outer surface of the solid stylet body in order to define a concave shape.

Claim 11

The stylet of claim 8 wherein: said hole is elliptical.

Claim 12

The stylet of claim 6 wherein: rearwardly of the indentation, the stylet body is smooth in order to provide for smooth passage of the stylet body through tissue.

Claim 13

A needle set comprising: a stylet having a stylet body; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body adapted for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet tip echogenic; a cannula with an inner bore which receives the stylet body; and said stylet positioned in the cannula body preparatory to the needle set addressing tissue to be biopsed with the stylet tip and echogenic mark positioned just past and outwardly of the tip of the cannula such that the cannula presents a smooth surface for penetrating the tissue while the echogenic mark allows the tip of the stylet to be tracked.

Claim 14

A needle set comprising: a stylet having a stylet body; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body adapted for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet tip echogenic; a cannula with an inner bore which receives the stylet body; and said stylet positioned in the cannula body preparatory to the needle set addressing tissue to be biopsed with the stylet tip and echogenic mark positioned just past and outwardly of the tip of the cannula such that the cannula presents a smooth surface for penetrating the tissue while the echogenic mark allows the tip of the stylet to be tracked.

Claim 15

The needle set of claim 11 wherein: said echogenic mark is an indentation.

Claim 16

The needle set of claim 11 wherein: said echogenic mark is a concave indentation.

Claim 17

The needle set of claim 11 wherein: said stylet body has a first longitudinal centerline: and said echogenic mark is provided on a second centerline which is spaced from the first longitudinal centerline.

Claim 18

The needle set of claim 11 wherein: said stylet body has a first longitudinal centerline; and said first longitudinal centerline being included in a plane; said echogenic mark is provided on a second centerline, which said centerline is spaced from (1) the first longitudinal centerline and (2) the plane.

Claim 19

The needle set of claim 11 wherein: said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; and said echogenic mark includes first and second side-by-side and spaced apart indentations, which first and second indentations in said side-by-side configuration are substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal centerline.

Claim 20

The needle of claim 11 wherein: said echogenic mark is elliptical.

Claim 21

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet echogenic; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; said indentation is provided in a direction that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline; said indentation is made by creating first and second holes at the end of the stylet tip; and wherein said first and second holes pierce through the stylet tip at two adjacent locations in order to define exposed adjacent concave surfaces.

Claim 22

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet echogenic; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; said indentation is provided in a direction that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline; said indentation is made by creating first and second holes at the end of the stylet tip; and wherein said first and second holes pierce through the stylet tip at two adjacent locations in order to define exposed adjacent concave surfaces.

Claim 23

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet echogenic; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; said indentation is provided in a direction that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline; said indentation is made by creating first and second holes at the end of the stylet tip; and wherein said first and second holes pierce through the stylet tip at two adjacent locations in order to define side-by-side concave surfaces which concave surfaces in said side-by-side configuration are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of said stylet body.

Claim 24

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet echogenic; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; said indentation is provided in a direction that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline; said indentation is made by creating first and second holes at the end of the stylet tip; and wherein said first and second holes pierce through the stylet tip at two adjacent locations in order to define side-by-side concave surfaces which concave surfaces in said side-by-side configuration are substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal centerline of said stylet body.

Claim 25

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body with an outer surface; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body adapted for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet tip echogenic; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; and said echogenic mark pierces said outer surface of said stylet body and said echogenic mark is directed into said stylet body away from said outer surface, and along an axis that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline, in order not to impede the movement of the stylet through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 26

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body with an outer surface; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body adapted for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet tip echogenic; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; and said echogenic mark pierces said outer surface of said stylet body and said echogenic mark is directed into said stylet body away from said outer surface, and along an axis that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline, in order not to impede the movement of the stylet through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 27

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body with an outer surface; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet tip echogenic; said echogenic mark includes first and second side-by-side indentations, which side-by-side indentations pierce said outer surface of said stylet body and said indentations are directed into said stylet body away from said outer surface, and along an axis that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline, in order not to impede the movement of the stylet through the tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 28

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body with an outer surface; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet tip echogenic; said echogenic mark includes first and second side-by-side indentations, which side-by-side indentations pierce said outer surface of said stylet body and said indentations are directed into said stylet body away from said outer surface, and along an axis that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline, in order not to impede the movement of the stylet through the tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 29

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body with an outer surface; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the style tip in order to make the stylet echogenic; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; said indentation pierces said outer surface of said stylet body and said indentation is directed into said stylet body away from said outer surface, and along an axis that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline; and said stylet body is solid.

Claim 30

A stylet for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a stylet body with an outer surface; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the style tip in order to make the stylet echogenic; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; said indentation pierces said outer surface of said stylet body and said indentation is directed into said stylet body away from said outer surface, and along an axis that does not intersect the longitudinal centerline; and said stylet body is solid.