Tissue cutting member for a biopsy device

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.

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.