Abstract: A biopsy device includes an elongated probe having a central longitudinal axis, a proximal end, a distal end, and an aperture. A tissue penetrating tip includes a proximal base secured to the distal end of the probe. A sharp distal point distal to the proximal base lies on the central longitudinal axis. Each of a first, second and third concave surface is configured to extend from the base to the sharp distal point. The second concave surface is located to intersect the first concave surface to form a first curved cutting edge. A third concave surface is located to intersect the first concave surface to form a second curved cutting edge and is located to intersect the second concave surface to form a third curved cutting edge. Each curved cutting edge extends from the base to the sharp distal point. A tissue cutting device is coaxial with the probe.

Abstract: A method of collecting one or more tissue specimens in a tissue biopsy system includes: providing a housing with a releasable proximal housing portion having an input port, a vacuum port, an interior, and a tissue specimen retaining member within the interior interposed between the input port and the vacuum port, the interior being in fluid communication with the inner lumen of an elongated tissue cutter, the tissue specimen retaining member having a plurality of openings configured to retain the one or more tissue specimens and to pass fluid and debris; inserting the proximal end of the elongated cutting member through the input port of the releasable proximal housing portion to position the proximal end in the interior above the plurality of openings of the tissue specimen retaining member; applying a vacuum to the vacuum port; and cutting a tissue specimen from a tissue site with the elongated tissue cutter.

Abstract: A prosthesis includes an outer capsule that is made of biosorbable material. An inner capsule is encapsulated by the outer capsule. A layer of fluid is interposed between the outer capsule and the inner capsule. In one implementation, the inner capsule surrounds autologous fluids or saline. Also, the layer of fluid interposed between the outer capsule and the inner capsule may comprise autologous fluids or saline.

Abstract: A system for at least partially filling and marking a cavity within a patient includes a delivery device. A quantity of marker forming fluid is located within the delivery device. The quantity of marker forming fluid is configured to at least partially fill the cavity and form therein a bioabsorbable body after delivery into the cavity from the delivery device. A radiopaque marker, separate from the quantity of marker forming fluid and releasably attached to a portion of the delivery device, is configured to be delivered into the quantity of marker forming fluid in the cavity from the delivery device and configured to remain in the bioabsorbable body upon the formation of the bioabsorbable body in the cavity.

Abstract: A marker delivery device includes an elongated delivery cannula which has a distal end section, an inner lumen and a discharge opening in the distal end section in communication with the inner lumen. A plunger is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the elongated delivery cannula. The plunger has a distal end. At least one elongated fibrous marker body is pre-formed prior to being inserted into the inner lumen of the elongated delivery cannula. The at least one elongated fibrous marker body is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the elongated delivery cannula at a location distal to the distal end of the plunger. The pre-formed at least one elongated fibrous marker body includes a fibrous material compressed and impregnated with a binding agent and freeze dried in the compressed condition. A releasable plug is disposed within a distal portion of the inner lumen and distal to the at least one elongated fibrous marker body.

Abstract: A method for treating a site within a patient from which tissue has been removed includes providing at least one press-formed marker body formed of polysaccharide and a suitable binder; and placing the at least one of the press-formed marker body within the site where tissue has been removed so as to provide hemostasis therein.

Abstract: A method includes providing a guide block with a body having a proximal face, a distal face, a length between the proximal and distal faces, a central longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal faces, and at least one passageway disposed within the body that extends between the proximal and distal faces, which is configured to receive a tissue accessing device and which is not parallel to the central longitudinal axis; selecting a grid opening of the grid-like breast receiving pressure plate and selecting a rotational orientation of the guide block relative to the selected grid opening to provide access to a desired location in the patient's breast; and inserting the guide block into the selected grid opening of the grid-like breast receiving pressure plate of the magnetic resonance imaging device at the selected rotational orientation, and advancing the guide block in the selected grid opening.

Abstract: An intracorporeal marker delivery system includes a delivery device including a delivery cannula and a plunger. The delivery cannula has an inner lumen, a distal tip, and a discharge opening in communication with the inner lumen. A radiographically detectable marker having a fibrous-body and a radiographically detectable marker element coupled to the fibrous body is disposed within and pushable by the plunger through the inner lumen of the delivery cannula. An MRI detectable distal tip plug is disposed at least in part within a distal portion of the inner lumen distal to the radiographically detectable marker, and configured to partially occlude the discharge opening in the delivery cannula. An ultrasound detectable short term marker is interposed between the radiographically detectable marker and the MRI detectable distal tip plug in the inner lumen of the delivery cannula.

Abstract: A tissue cutting member includes a distal tubular portion having a side wall defining a lumen, a longitudinal axis, and a flared distal section. The flared distal section has an inclined distal tip and an outwardly flared distal tubular portion that defines an inner tissue receiving aperture. The inclined distal tip has a beveled front face with a leading tissue cutting edge and a trailing cutting edge. A single longitudinally oriented opening is in the side wall in the flared distal section which radially opens to the lumen. The longitudinally oriented opening has an open distal end and is configured to extend from a closed proximal end to the open distal end. The closed proximal end has a relief opening with a transverse dimension larger than a transverse dimension of the longitudinally oriented opening adjacent the relief opening. The longitudinally oriented opening diverges to intersect the trailing cutting edge.

Abstract: A method for mitigating leakage in an RF electrosurgical generator includes delivering an RF signal from an RF electrosurgical generator to an electrosurgical electrode by way of a patient box; providing a balanced and symmetrical shielded transmission line coupling said electrosurgical generator disposed in a first housing to said patient box disposed in a second, different housing; providing a common mode choke in said patient box, said common mode choke including an output winding and a return winding, said output winding and said return winding spaced apart and in parallel to maintain a desired impedance, said output winding comprising a wire carrying said RF signal as an output signal and said return winding carrying a return signal from a return electrode; and directing a common mode signal from said RF signal to said common mode choke thereby blocking said common mode signal.

Abstract: A high frequency electrosurgical power generator configured to produce electrical power at a frequency of about 1 to about 14 MHz and preferably having an essentially sinusoidal waveform with a voltage level up to 1,000 Vrms, and a current level up to 5 Amps. The output of the high frequency electrosurgical power generator is connected to an electrosurgical tool configured to receive the voltage and current produced by the electrosurgical power generator and deliver the voltage and current to an electrosurgical site. The output of the electrosurgical generator preferably is an essentially sinusoid waveform with a frequency between about 3 MHz and about 8 MHz, up to about 700 volts rms, up to about 2 amps, with a total power of up to 1,000 watts.

Abstract: A guide block configured to be inserted into an opening of a grid-like breast receiving pressure plate to guide a tissue-removing device to a desired location within a patient's breast. The guide block includes a body having a body length between a proximal face and a distal face. The body length has a plurality of sides configured in a polygonal arrangement that corresponds to a shape of the opening in the grid-like breast receiving pressure plate. Each of a first guide passageway and a second guide passageway extends within the polygonal arrangement. The second guide passageway is coextensive with and configured to overlap the first guide passageway in a direction of extent of the plurality of sides to form a longitudinal opening between the first guide passageway and the second guide passageway that extends from the proximal face to the distal face.

Abstract: A mass includes particles that exhibit an in vivo lifetime and that include a bioresorbable material and bubble cavities disposed in the particles, wherein the bubble cavities have length, width, and height dimensions at least one of which is less than or equal to about 2000 microns. The mass exhibits enhanced detectability by ultrasound energy during the lifetime; the lifetime begins upon exposure to in vivo fluids and ends between about 2 and about 20 weeks afterward; and a zero or non-zero fluid-to-solid ratio.

Abstract: A medical device system and method provide an RF electrosurgical generator coupled to an electrosurgical electrode via a patient box disposed in close proximity to the patient. An RF signal is delivered from the generator to the patient box where signal power is increased and the RF signal delivered to the electrosurgical electrode. The patient box is coupled to the electrosurgical electrode by a short cable capable of carrying an HV, high frequency 5 MHz signal without leakage. An electrical characteristic associated with the electrosurgical electrode is monitored and a desired RF power output and duty cycle maintained by adjusting DC input voltage applied to an RF amplifier, responsive to the monitoring. The system determines when the electrosurgical cutting electrode has started cutting and switches from a start mode to a run mode having a different RF duty cycle and a reduced RF power output controlled by a servo system.

Abstract: A device and method for treatment of a tissue specimen disposed in surrounding tissue includes isolating the tissue specimen from the surrounding tissue by using a separating device to sever and separate the tissue specimen from the surrounding tissue; damaging the isolated tissue specimen with a tissue specimen damaging device; and using an encapsulating device to encapsulate the isolated and damaged tissue specimen, the encapsulating device configured for operation independent from the separating device and the tissue specimen damaging device.

Abstract: A method for marking a surgically formed cavity in a patient includes providing an implant comprising a matrix material and a marking material, the matrix material configured to be elastically compressible; modifying the shape and size of the implant to fit the shape and size of the surgically formed cavity in the patient, the implant being configured to fill the surgically formed cavity and support tissue surrounding the surgically formed cavity and to allow in-growth of fibrous tissue into and replace at least a portion of the matrix material; and inserting the implant into the surgically formed cavity.

Abstract: A medical device system and method provide an RF electrosurgical generator coupled to an electrosurgical electrode via a patient box disposed in close proximity to the patient. An RF signal is delivered from the generator to the patient box where signal power is increased and the RF signal delivered to the electrosurgical electrode. The patient box is coupled to the electrosurgical electrode by a short cable capable of carrying an HV, high frequency 5 MHz signal without leakage. An electrical characteristic associated with the electrosurgical electrode is monitored and a desired RF power output and duty cycle maintained by adjusting DC input voltage applied to an RF amplifier, responsive to the monitoring. The system determines when the electrosurgical cutting electrode has started cutting and switches from a start mode to a run mode having a different RF duty cycle and a reduced RF power output controlled by a servo system.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a system and device for separating and collecting a tissue specimen from a target site within a patient. The device includes a probe component which is releasably secured to the driver component. The probe component has an elongated tubular section, a penetrating distal tip and a tissue receiving aperture in the distal end of the tubular section proximal to the distal tip, and a tissue cutting member which is slidably disposed within the probe member to cut a tissue specimen drawn into the interior of the device through the aperture by applying a vacuum to the inner lumen of the tissue cutting member. The driver has drive members for operating the elements of the probe component. The tissue penetrating distal tip preferably has a triple concave curvature shape with three curved cutting edges leading to a sharp distal point.

Abstract: A structurally integrated biopsy system includes a movable base having wheels to facilitate movement of the structurally integrated biopsy system. On the movable based there is mounted a tissue removal system, an ultrasound imaging system, and a controller. The tissue removal system includes a probe connector configured to connect to a tissue removal probe. The ultrasound imaging system is configured to generate an ultrasound image of a body region of a patient, and has an image display system having an image display screen to display ultrasound images taken by the ultrasound imaging system. The controller is configured to be in communication with each of the tissue removal system and the ultrasound imaging system to both provide control information for the ultrasound imaging system and provide control information for the tissue removal system in the structurally integrated biopsy system.

Abstract: The bioabsorbable implant described has a porous body formed of bioabsorbable materials that have an in vivo life span of at least 2 weeks, preferably at least three weeks and not greater than 20 weeks, preferably no greater than ten weeks. The implant has a scaffolding structure which facilitates tissue in-growth and ultimately tissue replacement of the scaffolding structure. The implant has a radiopaque imaging agent at least at the exterior margins and an orientation plurality of radiopaque elements in the interior of implant. The implant preferably has three radiopaque elements within the interior that form a plane within the implant interior.