Methods for obtaining fluid and cellular material from a breast duct

Abstract

Methods for performing medical procedures within the duct of a breast are described. An exemplary embodiment of the invention includes the steps of introducing a guiding member into a breast duct; introducing and positioning a member having an internal lumen in the breast duct; introducing a wash fluid into the breast duct through the internal lumen; removing washings from the breast duct through the internal lumen; and collecting the washings for cytological analysis.

1 . A method for obtaining fluid and cellular material from a breast duct comprising: 
 (a) locating at least one breast duct on a nipple of a breast, wherein the orifice of the breast duct is located by labeling cellular material at the orifice with a detectable label coupled to an antibody specific for a tissue marker characteristic of the tissue at the ductal orifice and locating the orifice by observing the presence of the detectable label;    (b) introducing washing fluid into the breast duct via a catheter; and    (c) collecting the washing fluid from the breast duct with the catheter, wherein the washing fluid collected comprises fluid and cells from the breast duct.    
     
     
         2 . A method for obtaining fluid and cellular material from a breast duct comprising: 
 (a) locating at least one breast duct on a nipple of a breast, wherein the breast duct exhibits no observable spontaneous discharge;    (b) introducing washing fluid into the breast duct via a catheter; and    (c) collecting the washing fluid from the breast duct with the catheter, wherein the washing fluid collected comprises fluid and cells from the breast duct.    
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining fluid and cellular material from multiple breast ducts.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 2 , further comprising obtaining fluid and cellular material from multiple breast ducts.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the washing fluid includes saline.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein the washing fluid includes saline.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising preparing the collected washing fluid for cytological analysis.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 2 , further comprising preparing the collected washing fluid for cytological analysis.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein preparing the collected washing fluid for cytological analysis includes centrifugation.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein preparing the collected washing fluid for cytological analysis includes centrifugation.  
     
     
         11 . A method for obtaining fluid and cellular material from a breast duct for cytological analysis comprising: 
 (a) locating at least one breast duct on a nipple of a breast;    (b) introducing washing fluid into the breast duct via a catheter; and    (c) collecting the washing fluid from the breast duct with the catheter, wherein the washing fluid collected comprises fluid and cells from the breast duct.    
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising obtaining fluid and cellular material from multiple breast ducts.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11  wherein the washing fluid includes saline.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11 , further comprising preparing the collected washing fluid for cytological analysis.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein preparing the collected washing fluid for cytological analysis includes centrifugation.