Method and apparatus for automated biopsy and collection of soft tissue

A biopsy instrument comprising:

• a first hollow tubular member having:
• a longitudinal axis;
• a proximal portion;
• a distal portion;
• a tissue receiving port positioned laterally a selected distance from said distal portion;
• and a tissue discharge port positioned a selected distance from said proximal portion;
• and
• a tissue sample cassette having a plurality of tissue sample compartments, wherein each of said tissue sample compartments has a tissue receiving port, said tissue sample cassette having a plurality of positions with respect to said first hollow tubular member tissue discharge port such that each of said tissue sample compartment receiving ports may be sequentially aligned with said first hollow tubular member discharge port.

A biopsy method comprising the steps of:

• introducing a hollow tubular member having a laterally disposed tissue receiving port located a preselected distance from a distal portion and a tissue discharge port located at a preselected distance from a proximal portion into a tissue mass to be sampled;
• severing a tissue sample from said tissue mass which has entered said tissue receiving port;
• transporting said severed tissue sample through said hollow tubular member to said proximal portion of said hollow tubular member;
• and
• depositing said severed tissue sample in one of a plurality of tissue sample compartments in a sample cassette.

A biopsy instrument for extracting intact tissue samples from within a body comprising:

• (a) an elongated primary hollow tube with a closed distal end;
• (b) a lateral tissue receiving port near said distal end of said elongated primary hollow tube, wherein said lateral tissue receiving port is configured for positioning within the body;
• (c) a proximal tissue discharge port near a proximal end of said elongated primary hollow tube, wherein said proximal tissue discharge port is configured for positioning outside the body;
• and
• (d) a tissue specimen cassette containing multiple receptacles configured to receive tissue specimens mated to said proximal tissue discharge port.

A biopsy method for excavating a large volume of tissue from within a body by repetitively removing smaller tissue specimens through a small opening in the body, the small opening just large enough to withdraw one tissue specimen, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing an elongated primary hollow tube with a closed distal end into the body, wherein the elongated primary hollow tube has a lateral tissue receiving port near its distal end and a proximal tissue discharge port with the proximal tissue discharge port mated to a tissue specimen cassette containing a plurality of specimen compartments;
• (b) positioning the lateral tissue receiving port within the body near a target lesion or organ;
• (c) positioning the proximal tissue discharge port outside the body;
• (d) cutting a tissue specimen which has entered the tissue receiving port;
• (e) transporting the cut tissue specimen through the elongated primary hollow tube to the proximal tissue discharge port;
• and
• (f) depositing the cut tissue specimen into a receptacle within the tissue specimen cassette.

A biopsy device comprising:

• a housing;
• a tubular piercing member rotatable attached to said housing at an attachment region for angular positioning of said tubular piercing member at a target site within a tissue mass, said tubular piercing member further comprising:
• a distal piercing end;
• a laterally positioned tissue receiving port proximate said distal piercing end which opens into a tissue sample chamber;
• and
• a tissue discharge port positioned within said housing;
• and
• a cannular cutting member coacting with said tubular piercing member to cut a first tissue sample located in said tubular piercing member tissue sample chamber from the tissue mass, wherein the first tissue sample is retained in a distal end portion of said cannular cutting member for transport to said tubular piercing member tissue discharge port by said cannular cutting member while being retained in said distal end portion of said cannular cutting member.

A biopsy device for acquiring a plurality of sequentially biopsied, discrete samples of tissue comprising:

• a rotatable retaining fixture;
• an elongate outer piercing needle having a sharpened distal end for piercing tissue, said elongate outer piercing needle attached to said rotatable retaining fixture such that said sharpened distal end is held in a fixed position within the tissue mass at a predetermined target position, wherein said elongate outer piercing needle has a lateral opening located proximal to said sharpened distal end for receiving a portion of the tissue mass which is positioned adjacent to said lateral opening;
• an elongate inner cannula disposed coaxially and slidably within said elongate outer piercing needle, said elongate inner cannula having a sharpened distal end for cutting the portion of tissue protruding into said elongate outer piercing needle lateral opening when said elongate inner cannula slides past said lateral opening thereby depositing the portion of cut tissue within said elongate inner cannula proximal to said sharpened distal end;
• an inner cannula driver connected to said elongate inner cannula and configured to move said elongate inner cannula axially within said elongate outer piercing needle;
• and
• a knock out pin disposed coaxially and slidably within said elongate inner cannula wherein said knock out pin pushes the portion of cut tissue deposited within said elongate inner cannula out said distal end of said inner cannula as said knock out pin moves through said inner cannula.

A biopsy instrument comprising:

• a first hollow tubular member having:
• a longitudinal axis;
• a proximate end;
• a distal end;
• a tissue receiving port positioned laterally near said distal end;
• and a tissue discharge port positioned near said proximate end;
• and
• a tissue sample cassette having a tissue sample compartment wherein said tissue sample cassette is positioned with respect to said first hollow tubular member tissue discharge port such that said tissue sample compartment is aligned with said first hollow tubular member discharge port.

A biopsy instrument comprising:

• a body unit;
• a rotary drive mechanism mounted to said body unit;
• and
• a first hollow tubular member further comprising:
• a longitudinal axis;
• a proximal portion coupled to said rotary drive mechanism;
• a distal portion;
• a tissue receiving port positioned laterally near a distal end thereof;
• and
• a tissue discharge port positioned near a proximate end thereof, wherein azimuthal orientation of said lateral tissue receiving port is controlled by said rotary drive mechanism.

A biopsy instrument comprising:

• a body unit configured for mounting to a stereotactic guidance unit;
• a rotary drive mechanism mounted to said body unit;
• a first hollow tubular member having:
• a longitudinal axis;
• a proximal portion coupled to said rotary drive mechanism;
• a distal portion;
• a tissue receiving port positioned laterally near a distal end thereof;
• and a tissue discharge port positioned near a proximate end thereof, wherein azimuthal orientation of said lateral tissue receiving port is controlled by said rotary drive mechanism;
• and
• a tissue sample cassette having a plurality of tissue sample compartments, wherein each of said tissue sample compartments has a tissue receiving port, said tissue sample cassette having a plurality of positions with respect to said first hollow tubular member tissue discharge port such that each of said tissue sample compartment receiving ports may be sequentially aligned with said first hollow tubular member discharge port.

A biopsy method comprising the steps of:

• introducing a hollow tubular member having a laterally disposed tissue receiving port located near a distal end thereof and a tissue discharge port located near a proximate end thereof into a tissue mass to be sampled;
• severing a tissue sample from said tissue mass which has entered said tissue receiving port;
• transporting said severed tissue sample through said hollow tubular member to said tissue discharge port of said hollow tubular member;
• and
• depositing said severed tissue sample into a tissue sample cassette.

A biopsy method comprising the steps of:

• rotatably attaching a hollow tubular member to a housing;
• introducing said hollow tubular member having a laterally disposed tissue receiving port located at a distal portion of said hollow tubular member and a tissue discharge port located at a proximate portion of said hollow tubular member into a tissue mass to be sampled;
• rotating the laterally disposed tissue receiving port of the hollow tubular member to a predetermined angular orientation;
• severing a tissue sample from said tissue mass which has entered said tissue receiving port with a cannular cutting member positioned coaxially within said hollow tubular member;
• retaining the severed tissue sample in a distal end portion of said cannular cutting member;
• and
• transporting said cannular cutting member containing the severed tissue sample in said distal end portion thereof through said hollow tubular member to said tissue discharge port located at said proximate portion of said hollow tubular member.

A biopsy method comprising the steps of:

• introducing a hollow tubular member having a laterally disposed tissue receiving port located at a distal portion of said hollow tubular member and a tissue discharge port located at a proximate portion of said hollow tubular member into a tissue mass to be sampled;
• rotating the laterally disposed tissue receiving port of the hollow tubular member to a predetermined angular orientation;
• severing a tissue sample from said tissue mass which has entered said tissue receiving port;
• transporting said severed tissue sample through said hollow tubular member to said proximate portion of said hollow tubular member;
• and
• depositing said severed tissue sample in one of a plurality of tissue sample compartments in a sample cassette.

A biopsy instrument for extracting intact tissue samples from within a body comprising:

• (a) an elongated primary hollow tube with a closed distal end;
• (b) a lateral tissue receiving port near said distal end of said elongated primary hollow tube, wherein said lateral tissue receiving port is configured for positioning within the body;
• (c) a proximal tissue discharge port near a proximal end of said elongated primary hollow tube, wherein said proximal tissue discharge port is configured for positioning outside the body;
• and
• (d) a tissue specimen cassette configured to receive a tissue specimen from said proximal tissue discharge port, said tissue specimen cassette removeably mated to said proximal tissue discharge port.

A biopsy method for excavating a large volume of tissue from within a body by repetitively removing small tissue specimens through a small opening in the body, the small opening just large enough to withdraw one small tissue specimen, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) introducing an elongated primary hollow tube with a closed distal end into the body, wherein the elongated primary hollow tube has a lateral tissue receiving port near its distal end and a proximal tissue discharge port with the proximal tissue discharge port mated to a tissue specimen cassette configured to receive tissue specimens from said proximal tissue discharge port;
• (b) positioning the lateral tissue receiving port within the body near a target lesion or organ;
• (c) positioning the proximal tissue discharge port outside the body;
• (d) cutting a tissue specimen which has entered the tissue receiving port;
• (e) transporting the cut tissue specimen through the elongated primary hollow tube to the proximal tissue discharge port;
• and
• (f) depositing the cut tissue specimen into the tissue specimen cassette.

A biopsy method comprising the steps of:

• introducing a hollow tubular member having a laterally disposed tissue receiving port located near a distal portion and a tissue discharge port located near a proximal portion into a tissue mass to be sampled;
• severing a tissue sample from said tissue mass which has entered said tissue receiving port;
• transporting said severed tissue sample through said hollow tubular member to said proximal portion of said hollow tubular member;
• depositing said severed tissue sample into a portable tissue sample cassette;
• and
• processing said severed tissue sample for examination without removing it from said tissue sample cassette.

A single insertion biopsy method which provides for removing a plurality of tissue specimens from within a body by repetitively removing individual tissue specimens through a small opening in the body created by the single insertion, the small opening being just large enough to withdraw one tissue specimen, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) inserting a hollow tubular member which is rotatably attached near a proximate portion thereof to a housing into a tissue mass to be sampled, wherein said hollow tubular member has a laterally disposed tissue receiving port located at a distal portion thereof and a tissue discharge port located near said proximate portion thereof;
• (b) rotating said lateral tissue receiving port within the body near a target position to a first angular orientation;
• (c) cutting a first tissue specimen which has entered said tissue receiving port from said first angular orientation;
• (d) transporting said first tissue specimen through said elongated primary hollow tube to said proximal tissue discharge port;
• (e) removing said first tissue specimen from said tissue discharge port;
• (f) rotating said lateral tissue receiving port within the body near said target position to a second angular orientation;
• (g) cutting a second tissue specimen which has entered said tissue receiving port from said second angular orientation;
• (h) transporting said second tissue specimen through said elongated primary hollow tube to said proximal tissue discharge port;
• and
• (i) removing said second tissue specimen from said tissue discharge port.