# US 10,478,161 B2 · Tissue cutting member for a biopsy device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,161 B2 - Document ID: US10478161B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/692,242 - Filed: 2017-08-31 - Published: 2017-12-21 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2005-05-23 - Assignees: SenoRx, Inc. - Applicants: SenoRx, Inc. - Inventors: Paul Lubock; Frank R. Louw; Richard L. Quick - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478161B2 ## CPC - A61B 10/0275: {with sample notch, e.g. on the side of inner stylet} - A61B 10/0283: {with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe (A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence)} - A61B 17/320016: {Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes (A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence)} - A61B 17/3417: {Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating (syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00)} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A method for forming a tissue cutting member includes: providing a single longitudinally oriented opening in a side wall in a flared distal section of a distal tubular portion which radially opens to a lumen of the distal tubular portion, the single longitudinally oriented opening having an open distal end and extending from a closed proximal end to the open distal end; and providing a relief opening at the closed proximal end of the single longitudinally oriented opening, the relief opening having a transverse dimension larger than a transverse dimension of the single longitudinally oriented opening adjacent the relief opening, the single longitudinally oriented opening diverging from the closed proximal end to intersect a trailing cutting edge of a beveled front face of the inclined distal tip of the distal tubular portion and facilitating formation of the outwardly flared distal tubular portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for forming a tissue cutting member to separate a tissue specimen from a target site within a patient's body, comprising: providing a distal tubular portion including a side wall defining a lumen, a longitudinal axis, and a flared distal section; configuring the flared distal section to include an inclined distal tip at a distal end of the side wall and an outwardly flared distal tubular portion that defines an inner tissue receiving aperture, the inclined distal tip having a beveled front face with a leading cutting edge and a trailing cutting edge, the outwardly flared distal tubular portion being outwardly flared in a distal direction to the leading cutting edge; providing a single longitudinally oriented opening in the side wall in the flared distal section which radially opens to the lumen, the single longitudinally oriented opening having an open distal end and extending from a closed proximal end to the open distal end; and providing a relief opening at the closed proximal end, the relief opening having a transverse dimension larger than a transverse dimension of the single longitudinally oriented opening adjacent the relief opening, the single longitudinally oriented opening diverging from the closed proximal end to intersect the trailing cutting edge of the beveled front face of the inclined distal tip of the distal tubular portion and facilitating formation of the outwardly flared distal tubular portion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the relief opening has a substantially circular shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including providing the distal tubular portion with a cylindrically shaped proximal section, wherein the flared distal section extends in a distal direction from the cylindrically shaped proximal section. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, including locating the relief opening at an intersection of the cylindrically shaped proximal section with the flared distal section of the distal tubular portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, including locating the relief opening, in part, in each of the cylindrically shaped proximal section and the flared distal section of the distal tubular portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one annular slot located in the side wall in the flared distal section in a region between the relief opening and the inclined distal tip. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the at least one annular slot includes two diametrically opposed annular slots. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including providing at least one circular opening located in the side wall in the flared distal section in a region between the relief opening and the inclined distal tip. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one circular opening includes two diametrically opposed circular openings. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including providing the distal tubular portion with a cylindrically shaped proximal section, the flared distal section extending in a distal direction from the cylindrically shaped proximal section, and locating at least one annular slot at an intersection of the cylindrically shaped proximal section with the flared distal section of the distal tubular portion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one annular slot includes two diametrically opposed annular slots. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, including providing the distal tubular portion with a cylindrically shaped proximal section, the flared distal section extending in a distal direction from the cylindrically shaped proximal section, and locating at least one circular opening at an intersection of the cylindrically shaped proximal section with the flared distal section of the distal tubular portion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one circular opening includes two diametrically opposed circular openings. ### Claim 14 A method for forming a biopsy probe, comprising: providing an elongated outer cannula having a side wall, a distal tip, and a first tissue receiving aperture located in the side wall of the elongated outer cannula that is spaced proximally from the distal tip; and providing a tissue cutting member slidably disposed within the elongated outer cannula, including: providing the tissue cutting member with a distal tubular portion including a side wall defining a lumen, a longitudinal axis, and a flared distal section, the flared distal section having an inclined distal tip at a distal end of the side wall and an outwardly flared distal tubular portion that defines an inner tissue receiving aperture, the inclined distal tip having a beveled front face with a leading cutting edge and a trailing cutting edge, the outwardly flared distal tubular portion being outwardly flared in a distal direction to the leading cutting edge; and providing a single longitudinally oriented opening in the side wall in the flared distal section which radially opens to the lumen, the single longitudinally oriented opening having an open distal end and extending from a closed proximal end to the open distal end, the closed proximal end having a relief opening with a transverse dimension larger than a transverse dimension of the single longitudinally oriented opening adjacent the relief opening, the single longitudinally oriented opening diverging from the closed proximal end to intersect the trailing cutting edge of the beveled front face of the inclined distal tip of the distal tubular portion and facilitating formation of the outwardly flared distal tubular portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the relief opening has a substantially circular shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, including providing the distal tubular portion with a cylindrically shaped proximal section, the flared distal section extending in a distal direction from the cylindrically shaped proximal section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, including locating the relief opening at an intersection of the cylindrically shaped proximal section with the flared distal section of the distal tubular portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, including locating at least one annular slot in the side wall in the flared distal section in a region between the relief opening and the inclined distal tip. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, including locating at least one circular opening in the side wall in the flared distal section in a region between the relief opening and the inclined distal tip.