Anatomical location markers and methods of use in positioning sheet-like materials during surgery

Abstract

A tissue marker assembly which can be useful with an implant delivery system for delivering a sheet-like implant is disclosed. The tissue marker assembly can include a delivery sleeve with a tissue marker slidably disposed within a lumen therethrough. A proximal handle can be coupled to the tissue marker and delivery sleeve, having a first part and a second part. The second part of the proximal handle can be releasably attached to the tissue marker proximal end so that the second part can be removed to allow the delivery sleeve to be removed proximally over the tissue marker after it is affixed to tissue. The distal portion of the marker can include a plurality of longitudinally extending arms when unconstrained project outward from the shaft to retain the marker's position in tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tissue position marker assembly comprising:
 a first handle portion;   a second handle portion releasably coupled to the first handle portion;   a needle-like delivery sleeve having a longitudinal lumen therethrough and a tissue penetrating distal tip,   wherein a proximal end of the needle-like delivery sleeve is affixed to the first handle portion; and   a tissue marker including an elongate shaft defining a longitudinal direction and a plurality of flexible arms having a first configuration in which the plurality of flexible arms extend radially from the elongate shaft and extend longitudinally in a second configuration,   wherein a proximal end of the elongate shaft of the tissue marker is secured to the second handle portion.   
     
     
         2 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the elongate shaft of the tissue marker is releasably secured to the second handle portion. 
     
     
         3 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue marker is configured and adapted to move from the second configuration to the first configuration when unconstrained. 
     
     
         4 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue marker is configured and adapted to move from the second configuration to the first configuration when the plurality of flexible arms are extended distally beyond a distal end of the needle-like delivery sleeve. 
     
     
         5 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue marker moves from the second configuration to the first configuration via actuation of the first handle portion relative to the second handle portion. 
     
     
         6 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flexible arms of the tissue marker includes at least three arms. 
     
     
         7 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of flexible arms of the tissue marker includes at least four arms. 
     
     
         8 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue marker is slideably received within the needle-like delivery sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue marker is slideably received within the needle-like delivery sleeve and the needle-like delivery sleeve is removable from the tissue marker. 
     
     
         10 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue marker is slideably received within the needle-like delivery sleeve when the second handle portion is not secured to a proximal end of the elongate shaft of the tissue marker and/or when the second handle portion is not secured to the first handle portion. 
     
     
         11 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the tissue marker is movable from the first configuration to the second configuration by moving the needle-like delivery sleeve distally relative to the tissue marker. 
     
     
         12 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least the flexible arms of the tissue marker are made of a superelastic metal material. 
     
     
         13 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 1 , wherein a length of the elongate shaft of the tissue marker is longer than a length of the needle-like delivery sleeve such that the needle-like delivery sleeve may be withdrawn along the elongate shaft by a distance equal to or greater than a length of the flexible arms of the tissue marker without removing the second handle portion from the proximal end of the elongate shaft. 
     
     
         14 . A tissue position marker assembly comprising:
 a first handle portion;   a second handle portion releasably coupled to the first handle portion;   a needle-like delivery sleeve having a longitudinal lumen therethrough and a tissue penetrating distal tip,   wherein a proximal end of the needle-like delivery sleeve is affixed to the first handle portion; and   a tissue marker including an elongate shaft defining a longitudinal direction and a plurality of flexible arms at a distal end of the elongate shaft, the plurality of flexible arms being deflectable from a first configuration in which the plurality of flexible arms extend radially from the elongate shaft to a second configuration in which the plurality of flexible arms extend in the longitudinal direction;   wherein a proximal end of the elongate shaft of the tissue marker is secured to the second handle portion.   
     
     
         15 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the needle-like delivery sleeve constrains the plurality of flexible arms to the second configuration when the plurality of flexible arms are positioned in a lumen of the needle-like delivery sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of flexible arms automatically revert to the first configuration when the plurality of flexible arms are outside of the lumen of the needle-like delivery sleeve. 
     
     
         17 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the proximal end of the elongate shaft of the tissue marker is releasably secured to the second handle portion. 
     
     
         18 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of flexible arms are movable from the second configuration to the first configuration by moving the needle-like delivery sleeve proximally relative to the tissue marker. 
     
     
         19 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first handle portion is coupled to the second handle portion when the plurality of flexible arms are in the first configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The tissue position marker assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the first handle portion is uncoupled from the second handle portion when the plurality of flexible arms are in the second configuration.