Biopsy needle guard and guide

Claim 1

In combination with a biopsy specimen collecting needle having an aspirating chamber and a tubular needle coupled thereto at the proximal end of the needle, the needle having a sharpened tip at the distal end and an aspirating chamber receiving hub at the proximal end thereof, and having a shank with a bore extending therethrough disposed therebetween; and sleeve guard means coupled to said tubular needle along said hub, with the guard enclosing and encapsulating said tubular needle therewithin; said sleeve comprising: a. an elongated tubular sleeve having a closed base and an open top, with the inner periphery of the upper end of said tubular sleeve having a surface for sealingly engaging the outer periphery of said needle hub; and b. the outer circumference of the shank of said sleeve guard having a plurality of spaced apart circumferential grooves formed therein and disposed along that portion of the length of said sleeve guard shank enclosing said tubular needle, said circular grooves forming spaced apart score lines of a depth sufficient to permit said sleeve shank to be broken along said score lines upon flexure thereof to form an open ended sleeve exposing a predetermined portion of said tubular needle.