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US 2002/0165467 A1Published application
Retractable brush for use with endoscope for brush biopsy
AssigneeOralscan Laboratories, Inc.
InventorMark Rutenberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A retractable brush structure is attached to a cylindrical rigid rod which in the closed position passes through a channel in an endoscope. After the closed brush passes through the endoscope, the brush is opened and moves transversely to the tissue in order to remove cells from an area under examination. The brush is closed and withdrawn from the endoscope and sample tissue is removed from said brush for examination after it is withdrawn from the endoscope.
Claims9
An apparatus for use in conjunction with an endoscope, said endoscope comprising a channel extending the length of the endoscope;
- said apparatus comprising a rod passing through said channel having a distal and a proximal end;
- a retractable non-lacerational tissue remover having closed and open positions, said tissue remover attached to the distal end of said rod, said tissue remover being in a closed position as said rod passes through said endoscope, and a force applied to said tissue remover to open said tissue remover after it passes through said channel, said tissue remover bearing transversely against the tissue being examined and being controlled by said rod to remove tissue from a tissue area being examined, said retractable tissue remover being closed before being withdrawn from said endoscope, so as to retain the collected cells and remove them as the closed tissue remover is withdrawn from the endoscope.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.