Revolving tissue sample holder for biopsy device

A tissue sample holder for collecting tissue samples obtained using a biopsy device, wherein the biopsy device has a conduit and a cutter defining a cutter lumen along an axis, wherein the tissue sample holder comprises:

• (a) a rotatable manifold, wherein the manifold is in fluid communication with the conduit, wherein the manifold is configured to redirect fluid from the cutter lumen along a first axial direction to a lateral direction and back to a second axial direction, substantially opposite to the first axial direction, wherein the rotatable manifold comprises one or more distal openings on a distal end of the rotatable manifold, wherein the one or more distal openings are configured to selectively communicate with the conduit, wherein the fluid in the first axial direction proximally enters the rotatable manifold at the distal end of the rotatable manifold, wherein the fluid in the second axial direction distally exits the manifold at the distal end of the rotatable manifold;
• (b) a plurality of discrete tissue sample chambers associated with the manifold, wherein each of the tissue sample chambers is configured to receive at least one tissue sample communicated through the cutter lumen, wherein at least one of the one or more distal openings on the distal end of the rotatable manifold are substantially parallel to and in communication with one or more of the discrete tissue sample chambers;
• and
• (c) a tissue sample holder rotation mechanism, wherein the tissue sample holder rotation mechanism is operable to rotate the manifold to successively index the tissue sample chambers relative to the cutter lumen.

A tissue sample holder for collecting tissue samples obtained using a biopsy device, wherein the biopsy device has a conduit and a cutter defining a cutter lumen along an axis, wherein the tissue sample holder comprises:

• (a) a rotatable manifold defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the rotatable manifold is rotatable about the longitudinal axis, wherein the rotatable manifold comprises a plurality of tissue sample chambers, wherein the tissue sample chambers are radially spaced from the longitudinal axis and are angularly spaced from each other about the longitudinal axis, wherein the tissue sample chambers are oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis;
• (b) a longitudinal passage disposed substantially parallel to and radially offset from the plurality of tissue sample chambers;
• and
• (c) a tissue sample holder rotation mechanism, wherein the tissue sample holder rotation mechanism is operable to rotate the manifold about the longitudinal axis to successively index the tissue sample chambers relative to the cutter lumen;
• wherein the cutter lumen, the longitudinal passage, and at least one of the tissue sample chambers are in fluid communication such that the cutter lumen, the longitudinal passage, and the at least one of the tissue sample chambers together define a pneumatic path;
• and
• wherein the at least one of the tissue sample chambers is positioned in the pneumatic path between the cutter lumen and the longitudinal passage.

A tissue sample assembly for collecting tissue samples obtained using a biopsy device having a translatable tissue sample cutter defining a cutter lumen extending along an axis, wherein the tissue sample assembly comprises:

• (a) a manifold rotatable about a manifold axis, the manifold axis being substantially parallel to and offset from the axis of the cutter lumen, and the rotatable manifold comprising a plurality of chambers, wherein the chambers are radially spaced from the manifold axis and angularly spaced from each other about the longitudinal axis, wherein the manifold is configured to redirect fluid from the cutter lumen along a first axial direction to a lateral direction and back to a second axial direction, substantially opposite to the first axial direction, wherein the rotatable manifold comprises one or more distal openings on a distal end of the rotatable manifold, wherein the fluid in the first axial direction proximally enters the rotatable manifold at the distal end of the rotatable manifold, wherein the fluid in the second axial direction distally exits the manifold at the distal end of the rotatable manifold;
• and
• (b) a plurality of tissue sample receiving members releasably carried by the rotatable manifold, each tissue sample receiving member having a plurality of tissue sample compartments, each tissue sample compartment for receiving and holding a tissue sample, and each tissue sample compartment having a plurality of vacuum openings extending therethrough;
• wherein the number of chambers exceeds the number of tissue sample receiving members, and wherein the cutter lumen and the at least one of the chambers together define a pneumatic path for providing vacuum through the vacuum openings in one of the tissue sample compartments.