Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for marking the location of a void of body tissue created by a biopsy consists of a deployment catheter having an axial catheter lumen and distal opening. A resilient imaging marker which is self-biased into an expanded state and compactable into a compacted state is axially received in its compacted state in the catheter lumen. The plunger is axially received in the lumen of the deployment catheter and is axially advancable between a deploying position and a deployed position. The plunger has a leading end configured to drive the imaging marker out the distal opening of the deployment catheter upon axial advancement of the plunger form the deploying position to the deployed position. A method for marking a location of a void of body tissue created by a biopsy includes providing a deployment catheter having an axial lumen and a distal opening with an imaging marker in the axial lumen. The distal opening of the catheter is advanced to the void of body tissue. The imaging marker is axially advanced to the distal opening and expanded as it reaches the opening to extend into the void of body tissue. Thereafter the imaging marker is displaced from the opening.

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First Claim