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US007384401B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: Us 7,384,401 B2
Reeves et al. (45) Date of Patent: *Jun. 10,2008
(54) APPARATUS AND METHOD OF USE FOR
IDENTIFYING AND MONITORING WOMEN
AT RISK OF DEVELOPING OVARIAN
SURFACE EPITHELIUM DERIVED
CARCINOMAS
(75) Inventors: William H. Reeves, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
(US); Jonathan Reeves, Yellow
Springs, OH (US); Louis Keith,
Chicago, IL (US)
(73) Assignee: Lifeline Biotechnologies, Inc., Reno, NV (US)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
patent is extended or adjusted under 35
U.S.C. 154(b) by 568 days.
This patent is subject to a terminal dis-
claimer.
(21) Appl. No.: 10/889,262
(22) Filed: Jul. 12, 2004
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2004/0249305 Al Dec. 9, 2004
Related U.S. Application Data
(62) Division of application No. 10/035,845, filed on Dec. 24, 2001, now Pat. No. 7,056,293.
(51) Int. CI.
A61B 10/00 (2006.01)
A61B 1/00 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. CI 600/569; 600/114; 600/153;
600/562
(58) Field of Classification Search 600/160,
600/178, 182, 310, 342, 478, 562, 569, 570, 600/104, 153, 114 See application file for complete search history.
An apparatus and method of use thereof for identifying and monitoring women at risk of developing OSE-derived carcinomas is provided. The apparatus includes an introducer needle configured to be capable of insertion into a female such that a terminal end of the needle is positioned adjacent an ovary of the female, a microendoscope having an optic fiber which is operably insertable into the needle in a manner to enable an image of the ovary to be obtained therethrough, and a tissue removing member operably co-insertable into the needle with the optic fiber therein to enable removal of ovarian tissue cells with minimal deleterious effect to the ovary.
9 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets
