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US 2024/0081792 A1Published application
Biopsy-capable dermatoscope
AssigneeBehemoth Technologies LLC
InventorsJOSHUA FREEDMAN, MARK BENDIT, ARIE HIRSHBEIN
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dermatoscope includes features to allow a practitioner to visualize a selected skin area of a patient by means of a self-contained portable tool. The same tool may be thereafter used to perform a desired biopsy of skin findings previously visualized. The same tool allows the site to be prepared for such biopsy by application of an adhesive bandage and such adhesive bandage may likewise be closed by the same tool by means of suitable structures within the dermatoscope.
Claims25
A biopsy-capable dermatoscope for a practitioner to use on a patient, the dermatoscope comprising:
- a head configured to be placed in operative contact with the patient's skin for skin visualization and biopsy procedures;
- a handle extending from the head for grasping by the practitioner, the handle having manually actuatable controls for the visualization and the biopsy procedures;
- a viewing opening disposed in the head and defining a viewing area, the viewing opening having at least one lens disposed across the viewing opening and a light source located relative to the viewing opening to illuminate a selected skin area of the patient when the head is brought into a desired, operative position on the patient;
- a disposable cartridge removably inserted into the head;
- an adhesive bandage-clip assembly disposed within the cartridge and positioned in operative proximity to the selected skin area when the head is brought into the desired operative position on the patient, the adhesive bandage-clip assembly having an adhesive bandage releasably secured relative to the cartridge to selectively separate the adhesive bandage from the head and onto the selected skin area when the head is in the desired operative position on the patient;
- a blade assembly configured to perform a biopsy excision in response to manual actuation of one of the controls, the blade assembly mounted within the cartridge and rotatable, in response to manual actuation of one of the controls, when the head is in the desired operative position, the blade assembly being movable from a first, stowed position outside a majority of the viewing area defined by the viewing opening, and a second, operative position in contact with the skin area to perform a biopsy excision thereof;
- a crimping assembly disposed in operative proximity to the adhesive bandage-clip assembly, the crimping assembly having a bandage closure mechanism and a pair of arms, one of the manually actuatable controls connected to the closure mechanism to selectively move the arms inwardly in relation to the selected skin area, and toward and adjacent to the biopsy incision to crimp the adhesive bandage-clip assembly over the biopsy incision while the head is in the desired, operative position;
- wherein the arms of the crimping assembly are selectively movable outwardly after the crimping of the adhesive bandage-clip assembly and do not impinge upon removal of the cartridge from the head;
- and
- wherein the head, the handle, and the removably inserted cartridge comprise a portable, self-contained apparatus.
7 more elements
A method of performing a biopsy on skin of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:
- bringing a head of a dermatoscope into an operative position relative to a skin area of interest;
- while maintaining the head in the same operative position as the previous step, visualizing the skin area through an opening within the head of the dermatoscope;
- while maintaining the head in the same operative position as used for the previous step of visualizing the skin area, applying a suitable adhesive bandage from a stored position within the head to the desired skin area in anticipation of one or more dermatological procedures thereafter;
- while maintaining the head in the same operative location as the foregoing steps, actuating a blade housed within the head to perform a biopsy incision in the selected skin area;
- while maintaining the head in the same operative position as the foregoing steps, collecting the biopsied skin sample in the cartridge after performance of the biopsy;
- and
- after performance of the biopsy, closing an aperture in the adhesive bandage over the incision.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.