Intraoperative tissue treatment methods

(54) INTRAOPERATIVE TISSUE TREATMENT METHODS

(75) Inventors: William R. Dubrul, Redwood City, CA (US); Richard E. Fulton, Grand Junction, CO (US); Robert M. Curtis,

Hillsborough, CA (US)

(73) Assignee:

( * ) Notice:

(21) (22) (65)

(63)

(60)

(51) (52) (58)

(56)

Artemis Medical, Inc, Hayward, CA
(US)

Subject to any disclaimer, the term ol this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

Appl. No.: 09/844,661
Filed: Apr. 27, 2001

Prior Publication Data

US 2002/0019597 Al Feb. 14, 2002

Related U.S. Application Data

Continuation-in-part of application No. 09/588,278, filed on Jun. 5, 2000, now Pat. No. 6,530,923, and a continuationin-part of application No. 09/336,360, filed on Jun. 18,1999, now Pat. No. 6,270,464, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 09/248,088, filed on Feb. 9, 1999, now Pat. No. 6,221,006.

Provisional application No. 60/200,546, filed on Apr. 27, 2000, provisional application No. 60/154,394, filed on Sep. 17, 1999, provisional application No. 60/146,892, filed on Aug. 2, 1999, provisional application No. 60/137,775, filed on Jun. 4, 1999, provisional application No. 60/117,421, filed on Jan. 27, 1999, provisional application No. 60/114, 863, filed on Jan. 6, 1999, provisional application No. 60/105,284, filed on Oct. 22, 1998, provisional application No. 60/092,734, filed on Jul. 14, 1998, provisional application No. 60/090,243, filed on Jun. 22, 1998, and provisional application No. 60/074,199, filed on Feb. 10, 1998.

Int. C I. A61B 10/00

U.S. C I 600 567

Field of Search 600/567, 431,

600/432, 436; 604/13, 19; 606/1, 41, 117,
113-115; 128/899

References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

3,996,938 A 12/1976 Clark, III

Intraoperative tissue treatment methods are used following the removal ol target tissue, e.g. diseased tissue, from a target site, e.g. within a patient's breast, leaving access to the target site. In one method an expandable element is introduced into and expanded within a void at the target site. II all ol the target tissue was not removed, then a layer ol tissue at least partially surrounding the expanded element is removed from the patient, prelerably in a substantially intact form. In a second method the suction inlet ol a suction device is in fluid communication with the void. II all ol the target tissue has not been removed, at least a portion ol the collapsed tissue is removed from the patient and analyzed. With a third method, a flexible implant is passed through the sheath and into the void to at least substantially fill the void.

35 Claims, 18 Drawing Sheets