Biopsy device with inner cutter

Claim 2

1 . An tissue biopsy device for accessing and collecting a tissue specimen from a target site within a patient, comprising: a. a housing having at least one drive unit; b. an elongated probe member which has a longitudinal axis, which has a proximal end configured to be releasably secured to the drive housing in a plurality of discrete orientations about the longitudinal axis prior to insertion into the patient's body, which has an inner lumen extending therein, which has a tissue penetrating distal tip and which has an open section proximal to the tissue penetrating distal tip configured to receive tissue from the target site; and c. an elongated tissue cutter which is slidably disposed within the elongated probe member, which has a tissue cutting surface, which defines at least in part an inner lumen extending therein for receiving a tissue specimen, which is operably connected to at least one drive unit to move the tissue cutter to cut a tissue specimen from tissue extending into the open tissue receiving section of the elongated member.

Claim 3

2 . The biopsy device of claim 1 wherein the probe includes a rotatable tissue accessing cannula which is slidably disposed concentrically about the tissue cutter, has a proximal end, has a distal end seated against a proximal surface of the tissue penetrating distal tip, has an inner lumen extending therein, has a tissue receiving side port spaced proximal to the distal end thereof in fluid communication with the inner lumen and disposed in the open section of the outer cannula and is operably secured to a drive unit in the housing to rotate the tissue accessing cannula to adjust the operating location of the tissue receiving side port.

Claim 4

3 . The biopsy device of claim 1 , wherein the cutting surface of the tissue cutter is longitudinally oriented.

Claim 5

4 . The biopsy device of claim 2 , wherein the cutting surface of the tissue cutter is defined at least in part by an arcuate wall section of the tissue cutter.

Claim 6

5 . The biopsy device of claim 3 wherein the arcuate wall section of the tissue cutter has a longer arc length than the arc length of the aperture.

Claim 7

6 . The biopsy device of claim 2 , wherein the cutting surface of the tissue cutter is longer than the aperture of the tissue accessing cannula.

Claim 8

7 . The biopsy device of claim 1 wherein the inner lumen defined at least in part by the tissue cutter is configured to access a vacuum source to transport a tissue specimen through the inner lumen thereof to a tissue collector in fluid communication with the inner lumen.

Claim 9

8 . The biopsy device of claim 2 , wherein the tissue cutter is configured for rotational movement about a longitudinal axis.

Claim 10

9 . The biopsy device of claim 8 , wherein the tissue cutting member is also configured for reciprocating longitudinal movement.

Claim 11

10 . The biopsy device of claim 9 , wherein the tissue cutter is configured for reciprocating longitudinal movement of between about 0.01 inch and about 0.1 inch.

Claim 12

11 . The biopsy device of claim 3 , wherein the arcuate wall section of the tissue cutter has longitudinally oriented cutting surfaces along both edges.

Claim 13

12 . The biopsy device of claim 1 wherein the cutting surface of the tissue cutter is longitudinally oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tissue cutter.

Claim 14

13 . The biopsy device of claim 12 wherein the cutting surface of the tissue cutter has a leading distal cutting edge portion and a trailing proximal cutting edge portion.

Claim 15

14 . The biopsy device of claim 12 wherein the tissue cutter has a non-cutting surface which extends parallel with the cutting surface.

Claim 16

15 . The biopsy device of claim 14 wherein the cutting and non-cutting surfaces of the tissue cutter define in part a tissue receiving aperture.

Claim 17

16 . The biopsy device of claim 2 , wherein the tissue cutter is configured for longitudinal movement along a longitudinal axis.

Claim 18

17 . The biopsy device of claim 16 , wherein the tissue cutting member is also configured for reciprocating rotational movement.

Claim 19

18 . A tissue biopsy device for accessing and collecting a tissue specimen from a target site within a patient, comprising: a. a drive housing which has a plurality of drive units; b. an outer member which is releasably secured to the drive housing, which has a proximal tubular portion, which has an inner lumen extending within the proximal tubular portion, which has a tissue penetrating distal tip, which has an open section proximal to the tissue penetrating distal tip and which has a supporting strut extending from the penetrating distal tip to the proximal tubular portion; c. a tissue accessing cannula which is slidably disposed at least in part within the inner lumen of the proximal tubular portion of the outer member, which has an inner lumen extending therein, and which has a tissue receiving aperture spaced proximal to the distal end thereof in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the accessing cannula and which is operably secured to a drive unit in the drive housing to rotate the tissue receiving cannula to adjust the orientation of the tissue receiving aperture; and d. an elongated tissue cutter which is formed at least in part of a tubular member, which is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula, which has a tissue cutting surface, which has an inner lumen extending therein configured to receive a tissue specimen cut by the tissue cutter, and which is connected to a drive unit to move the tissue cutter within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula.

Claim 20

18 . A tissue biopsy device for accessing and collecting a tissue specimen from a target site within a patient, comprising: a. a drive housing which has a plurality of drive units; b. an outer member which is releasably secured to the drive housing, which has a proximal tubular portion, which has an inner lumen extending within the proximal tubular portion, which has a tissue penetrating distal tip, which has an open section proximal to the tissue penetrating distal tip and which has a supporting strut extending from the penetrating distal tip to the proximal tubular portion; c. a tissue accessing cannula which is slidably disposed at least in part within the inner lumen of the proximal tubular portion of the outer member, which has an inner lumen extending therein, and which has a tissue receiving aperture spaced proximal to the distal end thereof in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the accessing cannula and which is operably secured to a drive unit in the drive housing to rotate the tissue receiving cannula to adjust the orientation of the tissue receiving aperture; and d. an elongated tissue cutter which is formed at least in part of a tubular member, which is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula, which has a tissue cutting surface, which has an inner lumen extending therein configured to receive a tissue specimen cut by the tissue cutter, and which is connected to a drive unit to move the tissue cutter within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula.

Claim 21

19 . The biopsy device of claim 18 , wherein the cutting surface is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tissue cutter.

Claim 22

20 . The biopsy device of claim 18 , wherein the cutting surface of the tissue cutter is defined at least in part by a arcuate wall section thereof.

Claim 23

21 . The biopsy device of claim 18 wherein the arcuate wall section of the tissue cutter has a longer arc length than the arc length of the tissue receiving aperture of the tissue accessing cannula.

Claim 24

22 . The biopsy device of claim 18 , wherein the cutting surface of the tissue cutter is longer than the aperture of the tissue accessing cannula.

Claim 25

23 . The biopsy device of claim 18 wherein the tissue accessing cannula has a distal end seated against a proximal surface of the tissue penetrating distal tip of the outer member.

Claim 26

24 . The biopsy device of claim 18 wherein the tissue accessing cannula has a distal end seated in a circular groove in a proximal surface of the tissue penetrating distal tip of the outer member.

Claim 27

25 . The biopsy device of claim 18 wherein the inner lumen of the tissue cutter is configured to access a vacuum source to transport a cut tissue specimen through the inner lumen thereof to a tissue collector in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the tissue cutter.

Claim 28

26 . The biopsy device of claim 18 wherein the arcuate wall section of the tissue cutter has an arc length greater than a width of the aperture in the outer member.

Claim 29

27 . The biopsy device of claim 18 , wherein the tissue cutter is configured for longitudinal movement along a longitudinal axis.

Claim 30

28 . The biopsy device of claim 18 , wherein the tissue cutter is configured for reciprocal longitudinal movement.

Claim 31

29 . The biopsy device of claim 18 , wherein the tissue cutter is configured for reciprocal longitudinal movement of between about 0.01 inch and about 0.1 inch.

Claim 32

30 . The biopsy device of claim 18 , wherein the arcuate wall section of the tissue cutter has longitudinal oriented cutting surface along both edges.

Claim 33

31 . A probe for a tissue biopsy device for accessing and collecting a tissue specimen from a target site within a patient, comprising: a. an outer member which has a proximal tubular portion configured to be releasably secured to a drive housing, which has an inner lumen extending therein, which has a tissue penetrating distal tip, which has an open section proximal to the penetrating distal tip and a supporting strut extending from the penetrating distal tip to the proximal tubular portion; b. a tissue accessing cannula which is slidably disposed at least in part within the inner lumen of the tubular portion of the outer member, which has an inner lumen extending therein, and which has a tissue receiving aperture spaced proximal to the distal end thereof in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the accessing cannula and which is configured to be operably secured to a drive unit in a drive housing to rotate the tissue receiving cannula to adjust the orientation of the tissue receiving aperture; and c. an elongated tissue cutting member which is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula, which has at least one longitudinal tissue cutting surface, which defines at least in part an inner lumen for receiving tissue cut by the tissue cutting surface, and which is connected to a drive unit to move the tissue cutter within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula.

Claim 34

31 . A probe for a tissue biopsy device for accessing and collecting a tissue specimen from a target site within a patient, comprising: a. an outer member which has a proximal tubular portion configured to be releasably secured to a drive housing, which has an inner lumen extending therein, which has a tissue penetrating distal tip, which has an open section proximal to the penetrating distal tip and a supporting strut extending from the penetrating distal tip to the proximal tubular portion; b. a tissue accessing cannula which is slidably disposed at least in part within the inner lumen of the tubular portion of the outer member, which has an inner lumen extending therein, and which has a tissue receiving aperture spaced proximal to the distal end thereof in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the accessing cannula and which is configured to be operably secured to a drive unit in a drive housing to rotate the tissue receiving cannula to adjust the orientation of the tissue receiving aperture; and c. an elongated tissue cutting member which is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula, which has at least one longitudinal tissue cutting surface, which defines at least in part an inner lumen for receiving tissue cut by the tissue cutting surface, and which is connected to a drive unit to move the tissue cutter within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula.

Claim 35

32 . The probe of claim 31 wherein the tissue cutting member is formed at least in part of a tubular member.

Claim 36

33 . The probe of claim 32 wherein the tissue cutter is rotatably disposed within the inner lumen of the outer member, has a longitudinal axis, has a longitudinal tissue cutting surface oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, has an inner lumen extending therein for receiving tissue cut by the tissue cutting surface and is configured for rotation within the inner lumen of the outer member to cut tissue pulled into the inner lumen of the tissue cutter.

Claim 37

34 . The biopsy device of claim 33 wherein the tissue cutter has a non-cutting surface which defines a tissue receiving aperture along with the tissue cutting surface.

Claim 38

35 . The biopsy device of claim 34 wherein the non-cutting surface of the tissue cutter is parallel with the cutting surface thereof.

Claim 39

36 . The biopsy device of claim 31 wherein the cutting surface of the tissue cutter has a leading distal cutting edge portion and a trailing proximal cutting edge portion.

Claim 40

37 . A method of separating a biopsy tissue specimen from supporting tissue at a target site within a patient's body, comprising: a. providing a biopsy device having a biopsy probe comprising: i. an outer member which is releasably secured to a drive housing, which has an inner lumen extending therein, which has a tissue penetrating distal tip secured thereto, which has an open section proximal to the penetrating distal tip and a supporting strut extending from the penetrating distal tip; ii. a tissue accessing cannula which is slidably disposed at least in part within the inner lumen of the outer member, which has an inner lumen extending therein, and which has a tissue receiving aperture spaced proximal to the distal end thereof in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the accessing cannula and which is operably secured to a drive unit in the drive housing to rotate the tissue receiving cannula to adjust the orientation of the tissue receiving aperture, and iii. an elongated tissue cutting member which is formed at least in part of a tubular member, which is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula, which has at least one tissue cutting surface, which has an inner lumen extending therein for receiving a tissue specimen cut by the tissue cutting surface, and which is connected to a drive unit to move the tissue cutter within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula; b. advancing the probe at least partially into or adjacent to tissue at the target site; c. exposing the aperture of the accessing cannula to tissue at the tissue site; d. applying a vacuum to the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula or the tissue cutter to draw tissue from the tissue site into the inner lumen of the accessing cannula; e. rotating the tissue cutter to cut tissue drawn into the inner lumen from supporting tissue at the tissue site; and f. transporting a tissue specimen through the inner lumen of the tissue cutter.

Claim 41

37 . A method of separating a biopsy tissue specimen from supporting tissue at a target site within a patient's body, comprising: a. providing a biopsy device having a biopsy probe comprising: i. an outer member which is releasably secured to a drive housing, which has an inner lumen extending therein, which has a tissue penetrating distal tip secured thereto, which has an open section proximal to the penetrating distal tip and a supporting strut extending from the penetrating distal tip; ii. a tissue accessing cannula which is slidably disposed at least in part within the inner lumen of the outer member, which has an inner lumen extending therein, and which has a tissue receiving aperture spaced proximal to the distal end thereof in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the accessing cannula and which is operably secured to a drive unit in the drive housing to rotate the tissue receiving cannula to adjust the orientation of the tissue receiving aperture, and iii. an elongated tissue cutting member which is formed at least in part of a tubular member, which is slidably disposed within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula, which has at least one tissue cutting surface, which has an inner lumen extending therein for receiving a tissue specimen cut by the tissue cutting surface, and which is connected to a drive unit to move the tissue cutter within the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula; b. advancing the probe at least partially into or adjacent to tissue at the target site; c. exposing the aperture of the accessing cannula to tissue at the tissue site; d. applying a vacuum to the inner lumen of the tissue accessing cannula or the tissue cutter to draw tissue from the tissue site into the inner lumen of the accessing cannula; e. rotating the tissue cutter to cut tissue drawn into the inner lumen from supporting tissue at the tissue site; and f. transporting a tissue specimen through the inner lumen of the tissue cutter.

Claim 42

38 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the tissue cutter is moved longitudinally in addition to rotating to cut tissue.

Claim 43

39 . The method of claim 37 , wherein the longitudinal movement of the tissue cutter is reciprocating movement.

Claim 44

40 . The method of claim 37 , wherein pressurized fluid is provided within the inner lumen of the tissue cutter distal to a tissue specimen therein to transport the tissue specimen proximally within the inner lumen of the tissue cutter.

Claim 45

41 . A probe for a tissue biopsy device for accessing and collecting a tissue specimen from a target site within a patient, comprising: a. an outer tubular member which has an inner lumen extending therein, which has a tissue penetrating distal tip, and which has a tissue receiving aperture proximal to the penetrating distal tip in fluid communication with the inner lumen; and b. an elongated tissue cutter which is formed at least in part of a tubular member, which is rotatably disposed within the inner lumen of the outer member, which has a longitudinal axis, which has a longitudinal tissue cutting surface oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, which has an inner lumen extending therein for receiving tissue cut by the tissue cutting surface and which is configured for rotation within the inner lumen of the outer member to cut tissue pulled into the inner lumen of the tissue cutter.

Claim 46

41 . A probe for a tissue biopsy device for accessing and collecting a tissue specimen from a target site within a patient, comprising: a. an outer tubular member which has an inner lumen extending therein, which has a tissue penetrating distal tip, and which has a tissue receiving aperture proximal to the penetrating distal tip in fluid communication with the inner lumen; and b. an elongated tissue cutter which is formed at least in part of a tubular member, which is rotatably disposed within the inner lumen of the outer member, which has a longitudinal axis, which has a longitudinal tissue cutting surface oriented at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, which has an inner lumen extending therein for receiving tissue cut by the tissue cutting surface and which is configured for rotation within the inner lumen of the outer member to cut tissue pulled into the inner lumen of the tissue cutter.

Claim 47

42 . The probe of claim 41 wherein the tissue cutter has a non-cutting surface which defines a tissue receiving aperture along with the tissue cutting surface.

Claim 48

43 . The probe of claim 42 wherein the non-cutting surface of the tissue cutter is parallel with the cutting surface thereof.

Claim 49

44 . The probe of claim 41 wherein the cutting surface of the tissue cutter has a leading distal cutting edge portion and a trailing proximal cutting edge portion.