Control apparatus for an automated surgical biopsy device

A control apparatus for removing at least one tissue sample from a surgical patient using a surgical biopsy device comprising an elongated piercer having a piercer lumen extending therethrough, a cutter rotatably and axially positionable relative to said piercer, said piercer having a port for receiving and transferring said tissue sample into said piercer lumen, said biopsy device further comprising a rotation motor for rotating said cutter and a translation motor for translating said cutter in the axial direction, and wherein said cutter is operationally connected to said translational motor by a flexible, rotatable shaft having a proximal and a distal end, said control apparatus comprising:

• a) a computing device for the coordinated control of said rotation and translation motors;
• b) a first sensor operationally connected to said rotation motor for supplying a rotation signal to said computing device for measuring the rotational speed of said cutter;
• c) a second sensor operationally connected to said translation motor and near the proximal end of said flexible rotatable shaft for supplying a first translation signal to said computing device for determining the translational position and translational speed of said cutter;
• d) a first driver for driving said translation motor in response to a translation command from said computing device;
• and
• e) a second driver for driving said rotation motor in response to a rotation command from said computing device.
• f) a third sensor operationally connected to said translation motor and near the distal end of said first flexible, rotatable shaft for supplying a second translation signal to said computing device, wherein said second translation signal is compared to said first translation signal to determine the translational position of said cutter;
• wherein said control apparatus automatically modifies the rotational speed and the translational speed of said cutter in response to the translational position and rotational resistance acting on said cutter.