An apparatus for the ultrasound guided refilling of a drug delivery pump includes an ultrasound imaging transducer having a nosepiece and a support device coupled to the nosepiece of the ultrasound imaging transducer. The support device can have two support holes whose centers are positioned along a horizontal axis of the support device. A marker can be placed in each of the two support holes. The vertical axis of the ultrasound imaging transducer coincides with the vertical axis of the support device. When imaging using this apparatus and the port inlet of the pump is visualized using the ultrasound transducer, two primary marks on skin can be created by inserting a marker into the support holes. The apparatus can then be rotated around its vertical axis, and a marker again inserted into the support holes to create two secondary marks. The inlet port of the pump is then marked at the intersection of lines which connects the primary marks and respectively the secondary marks.

Scrub resistant inks and methods and apparatus for fabrication and use thereof are provided. Scrub-resistant ink compositions may include a dye for marking skin; and a solvent dissolving a marking effective amount of the dye, wherein the solvent comprises about 0.1 to about 90 percent of a polar aprotic solvent. Apparatus for marking patients may include an ink reservoir; an ink dispenser having a fluid connection to the ink reservoir to dispense the ink at a desired rate to mark a patient; and a scrub resistant ink disposed in the ink reservoir. Methods for forming scrub-resistant ink compositions may include providing a marking effective amount of a dye suitable for use in marking skin; and mixing the dye with a first solvent comprising 0.1% to 90% of a polar aprotic solvent. Methods of marking patients may include applying an ink as recited above to a body part of the patient.

A medical robot system, including a robot coupled to an effectuator element with the robot configured for controlled movement and positioning. The system may include a transmitter configured to emit one or more signals, and the transmitter is coupled to an instrument coupled to the effectuator element. The system may further include a motor assembly coupled to the robot and a plurality of receivers configured to receive the one or more signals emitted by the transmitter. A control unit is coupled to the motor assembly and the plurality of receivers, and the control unit is configured to supply one or more instruction signals to the motor assembly. The instruction signals can be configured to cause the motor assembly to selectively move the effectuator element and is further configured to (i) calculate a position of the at least one transmitter by analysis of the signals received by the plurality of receivers; (ii) display the position of the at least one transmitter with respect to the body of the patient; and (iii) selectively control actuation of the motor assembly in response to the signals received by the plurality of receivers.

A disposable marker for use in preparation for medical procedures. The marker is made of plastic or such similar material that does not show up on an x-ray monitor. The marker includes one or more metallic elements that have an elongated aspect disposed in proximity to the marker tip. As such, a clinician may introduce the marker into an x-ray field and view it in space by following the metallic element an x-ray monitor.

The instant invention is comprised of radiographic grids and an adjustable needle guide to facilitate the placement of an introductory needle using a two-dimensional aiming using an imaging needle guide comprising a proximal grid including a body, a top side, a bottom side, one or more radiopaque rings, and a central aperture extending through the body from the top side to the bottom side, a distal grid including a body, a top side, a bottom side, one or more radiopaque rings, and a central aperture extending through the body from the top side to the bottom side, and a needle.

3D image data of a skeletal portion within a subject's body is acquired. Subsequently, one or more radiopaque elements are positioned with respect to the body and first and second x-rays of the radiopaque elements and the skeletal portion are acquired from respective views. Based upon an identified location of the radiopaque elements within the x-rays, and registration of the x-rays to the 3D image data, the location of the radiopaque elements with respect to the 3D image data is determined. An optical image of the body and the radiopaque elements is acquired and the location of the radiopaque elements within the optical image is identified. The 3D image data is overlaid upon the optical image by aligning (a) the location of the radiopaque elements within the 3D image data with (b) the location of the radiopaque elements within the optical image. Other applications are also described.

Provided is a tissue staining composition containing carbon particles having a mean particle diameter less than 0.3 μm in diameter (optionally less than 0.2 μm in diameter) together with one or more agents that maintain the carbon particles in suspension (for example, an anti-settling agent and/or surfactant). In certain circumstances, the anti-settling agent may also have mucoadhesive properties. The tissue staining composition is visually dark and does not disperse rapidly when introduced into regions of tissue of interest making it ideal for marking the regions that can be visualized clearly and over prolonged periods of time via, for example, direct visualization, endoscopic or laparoscopic inspection. The invention also provides methods of making and using the tissue staining composition for marking regions of tissue of interest, for example, gastrointestinal tissue, as well as other tissues.

The invention relates to an animal marking system (1) provided with a drive device (10) and an animal marking fluid sprayer (2), the drive device (10) comprising an electric motor (11) associated with a transmission system (12), the transmission system receiving an initial torque from the electric motor (11), amplifying the received initial torque and transmitting the amplified torque to a drive shaft (3), the drive shaft (3) applying the amplified torque to actuate the animal marking fluid sprayer (2), the animal marking system (1) being able to be applied in extensive rural territory, where there is not a wide availability to use mechanisms that require high drive voltages.

Disclosed biopsy markers are adapted to serve as localization markers during a surgical procedure. Adaptation includes incorporation of materials detectable under ultrasound during surgery, as well as features for co-registration with image guidance or other real-time imaging technologies during surgery. Such biopsy markers, when used as localization markers, improve patient comfort and reduce challenges in surgical coordination and surgery time. Additional disclosed biopsy markers are adapted to serve as monitoring and/or detection apparatuses. Localization of an implanted marker may be done with ultrasound technology. Ultrasound image data is analyzed to identify the implanted marker. A distance to the marker or a lesion may be determined and displayed. The determined distance may be a distance between the ultrasound probe and the marker or lesion, a distance between the marker or lesion and an incision instrument, and/or a distance between the ultrasound probe and the incision instrument.

A marking instrument having a plurality of removable writing nibs serially aligned so that an operator can remove a spent or fluid-affected writing nib and, thereby, access a fresh writing tip.