Abstract: Devices and methods for efficient severing or cutting of a material or substance, such as soft tissue, suitable for use in open surgical and/or minimally invasive procedures, such as percutaneous procedures in breast tissue, are disclosed. A tissue cutting device may generally include a probe, a cutting assembly configured to be in a storage configuration or a preformed cutting configuration for cutting the specimen, a tissue fixator and a specimen retriever. When in the cutting configuration, the cutting assembly may be configured to move and cut the specimen relative to the tissue fixator along an axis of the probe. The tissue fixator may facilitate in stabilizing a region of tissue during cutting of the specimen. The region of tissue may be the specimen and/or tissue adjacent to and/or near the specimen. The specimen retriever may optionally be coupled to the cutting assembly and integrated as part of the tissue fixator.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the orientation of soft tissue such as breast tissue for enhanced accuracy of imaging and/or procedures such as a biopsy or excision are disclosed. The system for orientating and maintaining the orientation of soft tissue generally includes a frame defining an opening, the frame being configured to orient and immobilize an area of soft tissue positioned on one side of the opening, an attachment mechanism to secure the frame to an attachment region defined by the area of soft tissue or by a skin surface overlying the area of soft tissue, to facilitate orienting and immobilizing the area of soft tissue, and an imaging device to image the area of soft tissue. The opening may allow a probe of the imaging device or imaging energy transmitted by the imaging device to be movable therein for image scanning of the soft tissue. The probe, e.g., an ultrasound transducer can be rotated within the frame such that the probe scans at least either of two perpendicular directions within the frame.

Abstract: Minimally invasive devices and methods for cutting a volume of soft tissue such as a biopsy or a therapeutic excision of cancer are disclosed. The device generally includes a probe, a cutting loop with sufficient elasticity, shape memory or superelastic property such that the loop returns to a cutting configuration when released from a storage configuration, and a loop holder to hold and rotate the cutting loop about a loop holder axis when the cutting loop is in the cutting configuration so as to adjust a loop angle between the probe axis and the cutting loop. The method generally includes positioning the tissue cutting device adjacent the volume of tissue, releasing the cutting loop from the storage configuration to the cutting configuration, rotating the cutting loop to adjust the loop angle, and moving the tissue cutting device to cut the volume of tissue.

Abstract: Devices for efficient severing or cutting of a material or substance such as soft tissue suitable for use in open surgical and/or minimally invasive procedures are disclosed. A cutting assembly generally includes a first and second cutting blades each having an inner surface and at least one set of cutting teeth, the first inner surface being in contact with the second inner surface so that the sets of cutting teeth of the first and second cutting blades are aligned with and configured to cooperate with each other when at least one of the cutting blades moves, e.g., rotates and/or oscillates, relative to the other. A tissue cutting device generally includes a probe and the cutting assembly configured to be in a storage configuration or in a cutting configuration. The cutting assembly may provide a coagulation mechanism.

Abstract: Devices and methods for a minimally invasive procedure for cutting tissue are disclosed. The device generally includes a probe with a distal exit at an exit angle relative to the probe, a cutting loop with shape memory having a preconfigured shape, and a loop securing mechanism to secure the cutting loop in a penetrating configuration and to release the cutting loop into a cutting configuration. The cutting loop is generally within a profile of the probe in the penetrating configuration. In the cutting configuration, the cutting loop extends through the cutting loop exit and generally returns to the preconfigured shape at a cutting angle generally defined by the exit angle. The cutting loop securing mechanism may be, for example, a cover slidable over the probe, a slidable member extending from a distal tip of the probe, or a groove defined in the probe proximal to the cutting loop exit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to devices and methods that enhance the accuracy of lesion excision, through severing, capturing and removal of a lesion within soft tissue. Furthermore, the present invention relates to devices and methods for the excision of breast tissue based on the internal anatomy of the breast gland. A tissue severing device generally comprises a guide having at least one lumen and a cutting tool contained within the lumen. The cutting tool is capable of extending from the lumen and forming an adjustable cutting loop. The cutting loop may be widened or narrowed and the angle between the loop extension axis and the guide axis may be varied. Optional tissue marker and tissue collector may additionally be provided. A method for excising a mass of tissue from a patient is also provided. The device and method are particularly useful for excising a lesion from a human breast, e.g.

Abstract: Devices and methods for cutting of soft tissue using radio frequency and suitable for use in minimally invasive procedures are disclosed. The device generally includes an electrode housed in a housing, the electrode being flexible and/or extendable out of and/or retractable into the housing, and an insulating layer partially surrounding the electrode to expose at least a portion of the electrode to define at least one cutting area so as to focus energy from the energy source to the cutting area to facilitate initiation of a cut with the cutting area in contact with tissue. The cutting area(s) may extend and/or be aligned in a direction along a length of the electrode and may include a sharpened and/or serrated edge. The tissue cutting device may include an automated electrode oscillator coupled to the electrode and configured to oscillate the electrode along an axis or plane generally defined by the electrode.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the orientation of soft tissue such as breast tissue for enhanced accuracy of imaging and/or procedures such as a biopsy or excision are disclosed. The system for orientating and maintaining the orientation of soft tissue generally includes a frame defining an opening, the frame being configured to orient and immobilize an area of soft tissue positioned on one side of the opening, an attachment mechanism to secure the frame to an attachment region defined by the area of soft tissue or by a skin surface overlying the area of soft tissue, to facilitate orienting and immobilizing the area of soft tissue, and an imaging device to image the area of soft tissue. The opening may allow a probe of the imaging device or imaging energy transmitted by the imaging device to be movable therein for image scanning of the soft tissue. The probe, e.g., an ultrasound transducer can be rotated within the frame such that the probe scans at least either of two perpendicular directions within the frame.

Abstract: A system and method for ultrasound imaging of breast tissue by injecting an ultrasound contrast agent into a duct lumen of a patient's breast to enhance the imaging of one or more ducts within a specified lobe of the breast to improve characterization of a lesion or lesions within the duct system of the specified lobe are disclosed. The ultrasound contrast agent used to improve breast imaging may be injected into the duct lumen through an orifice on the nipple and/or a duct wall into the duct lumen. The ultrasound contrast agent may be injected prior to and/or during ultrasound imaging. The ultrasound contrast agent may be an acoustically detectable gas such as a halogenated hydrocarbon, halogenated alkane gases, nitrogen, helium, argon and/or xenon. The halogenated alkane gas may be a perfluorinated hydrocarbon such as saturated perfluorocarbon, unsaturated perfluorocarbon, and/or cyclic perfluorocarbon. The acoustically detectable gas may alternatively be mixed in a liquid solution.