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US 9,808,226 B2Granted
Soft tissue coring biopsy devices and methods
AssigneeTransMed7, LLC
InventorJames William Vetter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A biopsy device comprises a coring and transport assembly and a distal beak assembly. The distal beak assembly may be coupled to or near a distal end of the coring and transport assembly and may comprise at least one movable cutting element. The distal beak assembly may be configured to rotate about an axis, and assume at least a first open configuration operative to enable the at least one cutting element to core through tissue and a second closed configuration operative to enable the at least one cutting element to move through the tissue and to sever a cored specimen from the tissue.
Claims14
A biopsy device, comprising:
- a hollow shaft comprising a longitudinal lumen of a first diameter that defines a first radius of curvature;
- a beak assembly disposed at a distal end of the hollow shaft, the beak assembly comprising a first articulated movable cutting element and a second articulated movable cutting element, each of the first and second articulated movable cutting elements comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion that is narrower than the proximal portion, and comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surfaces of the first and of the second articulated movable cutting elements having the first radius of curvature from a proximal-most end to a distal most end thereof, the beak assembly being configured to rotate and assume at least a first configuration in which the first and second articulated movable cutting elements are operative to cut a core of a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter through tissue and a second configuration in which the first and second articulated movable cutting elements are operative to cut and move through the tissue and to sever the core;
- and
- a helical tissue transport element disposed within the hollow shaft and configured to transport the core through the hollow shaft as the hollow shaft compresses the core, the helical tissue transport element being coupled to the beak assembly and configured to cause the first and second articulated cutting elements to move between the first and second configurations.
1 more element
A method of performing a biopsy, comprising:
- introducing, into tissue, a biopsy device comprising a hollow shaft comprising a longitudinal lumen of a first diameter that defines a first radius of curvature, a helical tissue transport element disposed for rotation within the hollow shaft, and a beak assembly coupled to a distal end of the hollow shaft and coupled to the helical tissue transport element, the beak assembly comprising a first articulated movable cutting element and a second articulated movable cutting element, each of the first and second articulated movable cutting elements comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion that is narrower than the proximal portion, and comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, the inner surfaces of the first and of the second articulated movable cutting elements having the first radius of curvature from a proximal-most end to a distal most end thereof;
- advancing the hollow shaft through the tissue while rotating the beak assembly in a first configuration in which the first and second articulated movable cutting elements are operative to cut a core from the tissue, the core having a second diameter that is greater than the first diameter;
- acting upon the helical tissue transport element to cause the beak assembly to assume a second configuration in which the first and second articulated movable cutting elements are operative to sever the core;
- and
- compressing the core within the hollow shaft and transporting the compressed core within the hollow shaft using the helical tissue transport element.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.