Flexible biopsy needle
AssigneePromex Technologies, LLC
InventorDan C. Ireland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flexible biopsy needle assembly includes a flexible coring stylet that is slidably disposed within a flexible outer cannula. The stylet includes an elongated body, a tip, a sampling notch adjacent to the tip, and at least one ferrule along the length of the body. The cannula includes an elongated tubular body defining a lumen sized for sliding passage of the stylet, a cutting edge at the opening of the lumen, and an array of slits along the length of its body. The slits are sized to allow the diameter of the ferrule(s) to extend partially therein. The slits and ferrule(s) interact to limit or control the flexibility of the cannula at the location of the slits.
Claims12
A flexible biopsy needle assembly, comprising:
- a flexible coring stylet having an elongated body, a tip, a sampling notch provided in the body adjacent to the tip, and at least one ferrule spaced along the length of the body, the ferrule defining a diameter;
- and
- a flexible outer cannula having an elongated tubular body defining a lumen sized for sliding passage of the stylet therethrough, a cutting edge at the opening of the lumen, and at least one slit disposed along the length of the tubular body,
- wherein the diameter of the ferrule is sized to extend at least partially into the slit when the ferrule is aligned with said slit.
A flexible biopsy needle assembly, comprising:
- a flexible coring stylet having an elongated body, a tip, a sampling notch provided in the body adjacent to the tip, and at least one ferrule spaced along the length of the body;
- and
- a flexible outer cannula having an elongated tubular body defining a lumen sized for sliding passage of the stylet disposed within the cannula, a cutting edge at the opening of the lumen, and at least one slit array including at least two slits spaced apart along the length of the tubular body;
- wherein the stylet and cannula are movable between a position in which at least one ferrule is disposed within at least one slit to limit bending of the cannula at said at least one slit, and a position in which the ferrule is moved out of the slit to no longer limit bending of the cannula at said at least one slit.
The flexible biopsy needle assembly, wherein said at least two slits are separated around the circumference of said tubular body so bending is limited in different angular orientations depending upon which one of said at least two slits a ferrule is positioned within.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.