Vacuum biopsy apparatus

A method for performing a needle aspiration biopsy comprising steps of:

• placing a biopsy needle in a specimen to be collected;
• providing a syringe having a sidewall defining a chamber, a venting means, and at one end of said syringe a luer lock carrying an inwardly projecting needle;
• providing a vacuum tube having a septum at one end, said septum shaped and dimensioned to be received within said syringe chamber with a fluid tight fit;
• connecting said luer lock to said biopsy needle;
• inserting the vacuum tube into the syringe chamber such that the inwardly directed needle of the syringe pierces the vacuum tube septum, thus placing the biopsy needle in communication with the interior of the vacuum tube and causing specimen to be aspirated into the vacuum tube;
• partially withdrawing the vacuum tube from the syringe chamber;
• covering the syringe venting means;
• then moving the vacuum tube forward in the syringe chamber so that any specimen in the biopsy needle lumen will be expelled therefrom;
• fully withdrawing the vacuum tube from the syringe so that the material therewithin can be studied.