Electrosurgical specimen-collection system

A system for obtaining a tissue specimen from within a body, comprising:

• a. a tissue extraction device comprising:
• an elongated shaft having a proximal shaft portion, a distal shaft portion with a distal tip having a shaft cutting element, an inner bore, an aperture on said shaft distal portion connected with said bore;
• and
• an elongated cutting member which is at least in part movably disposed within the bore of the elongated shaft and which has a proximal portion, a flexible distal portion with a distal open end, a tissue cutting member on the distal open end, a guide on the flexible distal portion configured to direct movement of the tissue cutting member out of said shaft aperture effective to cut tissue disposed about said shaft;
• b. a vacuum source operably connected to said tissue extraction device;
• and
• c. a source of radiofrequency energy operably connected to said tissue extraction device.

A system for obtaining a tissue specimen from within a body, comprising:

• a tissue extraction device comprising:
• an elongated shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion with a distal tip having a shaft cutting element, an inner bore, an aperture on said shaft distal portion connected with said bore, and a first guide extending along said distal portion to define a tissue cutting pathway comprising at least in part a non-axial pathway;
• and
• a tissue extraction member movably disposed at least in part within said shaft inner bore, comprising an elongated hollow tube having a tube proximal portion, a flexible tube distal portion, a tube distal end having a longitudinal bore connecting with a tissue receiving port with a rim, a tissue cutting surface disposed about at least a portion of said rim, and a second guide configured to engage said first guide and follow said tissue cutting pathway;
• a vacuum source operably connected to said tissue extraction device;
• and
• a source of radiofrequency energy operably connected to said tissue extraction device.

A method for obtaining a tissue sample from within a body, comprising:

• placing a shaft having an aperture and a bore adjacent a tissue mass within a body;
• advancing an elongated cutting member through said bore in a distal direction, said elongated cutting member having a distal cutting element on a flexible distal portion configured to follow a non-axial tissue cutting pathway, effective that said distal cutting element is disposed at least partially out of said aperture;
• and
• cutting a tissue sample.

A method for obtaining multiple tissue samples from within a body, comprising:

• placing a shaft having an aperture and a bore adjacent a tissue mass within a body;
• advancing an elongated cutting member through said bore in a distal direction, said elongated cutting member having a distal cutting element on a flexible distal portion configured to follow a non-axial tissue cutting pathway, effective that said distal cutting element is disposed at least partially out of said aperture;
• cutting a first tissue sample;
• and
• cutting a second tissue sample.

A system for obtaining a tissue specimen from within a body, comprising:

• a tissue extraction device comprising:
• an elongated shaft having a proximal portion, a distal portion with a distal tip having a cutting means, an inner bore, an aperture on said shaft distal portion connected with said bore, and a first guide means extending along said distal portion to define a tissue cutting pathway;
• and
• a tissue extraction member disposed at least in part within said shaft inner bore, comprising an elongated hollow tube having a longitudinal bore, a proximal portion, a flexible distal portion, a tube distal end having a tissue receiving port with a rim, a tissue cutting means disposed about at least a portion of said rim, and a second guide means configured to engage said first guide means;
• a vacuum-providing means operably connected to said tissue extraction device;
• and
• a radiofrequency energy source-means operably connected to said tissue extraction device.