Echogenic needle

Claim 2

A cannula for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a cannula body with an outer surface and a longitudinal centerline; a cannula tip located at a distal end of the cannula body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the cannula tip in order to make the cannula echogenic; and said indentation pierces said outer surface of said cannula body and said indentation is directed into said cannula 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 3

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

Claim 4

The cannula of claim 1 wherein: said indentation is made by providing a hole at the end of the cannula tip.

Claim 5

The cannula of claim 1 wherein: said indentation is polygon-shaped.

Claim 6

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

Claim 7

The cannula of claim 3 wherein said hole pierces through the cannula tip at two adjacent locations in order to define exposed adjacent concave surfaces.

Claim 8

The cannula of claim 3 wherein said hole pierces through the cannula tip at two adjacent locations in order to define a concave surface which is partially exposed at each of the two adjacent locations.

Claim 9

The cannula of claim 1 wherein said indentation provides a reflective surface along a line spaced from the cannula longitudinal centerline.

Claim 10

A cannula for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a cannula body with an outer surface and a longitudinal centerline; a cannula tip located at a distal end of the cannula body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; a hole provided in the cannula body adjacent to the cannula tip in order to make the cannula echogenic; and said hole pierces through said outer surface of said cannula body and said hole is directed into said cannula 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 11

A cannula for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a cannula body with an outer surface and a longitudinal centerline; a cannula tip located at a distal end of the cannula body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; a hole provided in the cannula body adjacent to the cannula tip in order to make the cannula echogenic; and said hole pierces through said outer surface of said cannula body and said hole is directed into said cannula 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 12

The cannula of claim 9 wherein: said hole defines a concave shape.

Claim 13

The cannula of claim 10 wherein: said hole is elliptical.

Claim 14

The cannula of claim 9 wherein: rearwardly of the indentation the cannula body is smooth in order to provide for smooth passage of the cannula body through tissue.

Claim 15

The cannula of claim 9 wherein said hole is polygon-shaped.

Claim 16

A cannula for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a cannula body with an outer surface and a longitudinal centerline; a cannula tip located at a distal end of the cannula body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the cannula tip in order to make the cannula tip echogenic; and said echogenic mark pierces through said outer surface of said cannula body and said echogenic mark is directed into said cannula 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 17

A cannula for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed comprising: a cannula body with an outer surface and a longitudinal centerline; a cannula tip located at a distal end of the cannula body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the cannula tip in order to make the cannula tip echogenic; and said echogenic mark pierces through said outer surface of said cannula body and said echogenic mark is directed into said cannula 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 18

The cannula of claim 14 wherein said echogenic mark is polygon-shaped.

Claim 19

A needle set comprising: a cannula having a cannula body with an outer surface and a longitudinal centerline; a cannula tip located at a distal end of the cannula body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the cannula tip in order to make the cannula tip echogenic; a stylet having a stylet body; the cannula having an inner bore which receives the stylet body; said stylet positioned in the cannula body preparatory to the needle set addressing tissue to be biopsed with the stylet tip positioned just past 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 cannula to be tracked; and said echogenic mark pierces through said outer surface of said cannula body and said echogenic mark is directed into said cannula 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 20

A needle set comprising: a cannula having a cannula body with an outer surface and a longitudinal centerline; a cannula tip located at a distal end of the cannula body for positioning adjacent to tissue to be biopsed; an echogenic mark defined at the cannula tip in order to make the cannula tip echogenic; a stylet having a stylet body; the cannula having an inner bore which receives the stylet body; said stylet positioned in the cannula body preparatory to the needle set addressing tissue to be biopsed with the stylet tip positioned just past 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 cannula to be tracked; and said echogenic mark pierces through said outer surface of said cannula body and said echogenic mark is directed into said cannula 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 21

A stylet that can be positioned 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 to be positioned adjacent to tissues to be biopsed; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; said hole is provided in the stylet body in order to make the stylet echogenic; said hole is in the shape of a polygon; and said hole pierces through said outer surface of said stylet body and said hole 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 22

A stylet that can be positioned 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 to be positioned adjacent to tissues to be biopsed; said stylet body has a longitudinal centerline; said hole is provided in the stylet body in order to make the stylet echogenic; said hole is in the shape of a polygon; and said hole pierces through said outer surface of said stylet body and said hole 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 23

A stylet that can be positioned adjacent to tissues to be biopsed, the stylet comprising: a stylet body with an outer surface and a longitudinal centerline; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body adapted to be positioned adjacent to tissues to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet echogenic; said indentation being in the shape of a polygon; and said indentation pierces through 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.

Claim 24

A stylet that can be positioned adjacent to tissues to be biopsed, the stylet comprising: a stylet body with an outer surface and a longitudinal centerline; a stylet tip located at a distal end of the stylet body adapted to be positioned adjacent to tissues to be biopsed; an indentation defined at the stylet tip in order to make the stylet echogenic; said indentation being in the shape of a polygon; and said indentation pierces through 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 cannula through tissue to be biopsed.