Biopsy needle

In a biopsy needle for taking a biopsy specimen from a site in a patient comprising an outer tubular cannula having an axis, an inner tubular cannula coaxial with and relatively displaceably received in said outer cannula, and a styler coaxial with and relatively displaceably received in said inner cannula, said stylet having an outer surface, a distal end, a proximal portion and a specimen recess therebetween for receiving a specimen at said site, said recess opening radially into said stylet from said outer surface and having an axially extending bottom wall and axially spaced apart distal and proximal end walls between said bottom wall and said outer surface and providing said recess with an entrance end radially spaced from said bottom wall, the improvement comprising:

• said entrance end having a first axial dimension, and at least one of said distal and proximal end walls being reentrant from said entrance end of said recess with respect to the corresponding one of said distal end and proximal portion of said stylet, whereby said recess has a second axial dimension radially inwardly of said entrance end greater than said first dimension.