Flexible and protective guide device for use with aspirating needles

Claim 1

An elongated flexible and protective guide device for mounting on an operator's finger and for use with a flexible elongated aspirating needle comprising a flexible elongated tubular element having a proximal and a distal end and an elongated opening therethrough which telescopically receives said needle, a pair of flexible elongated flanges secured to said tubular element, having a length substantially equal to the length of said tubular element and projecting laterally beyond said tubular element to stabilize it against rolling displacement, and said guide device including a flexible distal base portion secured to the remainder of said guide device, said base portion extending distally beyond said tubular element and being made of a flexible plastic having a thickness between about six thousandths of an inch and one hundredth of an inch, providing for tactile palpation therethrough, which thinness allows appreciation of a needle tip presence, while being thick enough to allow for sliding protective engagement with the tip of the aspirating needle, said base portion being positioned to lie between the projecting needle and the operator's finger, the amount of flexibility of said needle, tubular element, flanges, and base portion being sufficient to allow the operator's finger to bend during said palpation by an amount that allows said operator to feel an abnormal growth or swelling on the area being inspected with said operator's fingertip, said device permitting said operator to continue palpating said growth or enlarged area while simultaneously taking a sample thereof with said aspirating needle, there being no need for the fingertip of the operator to withdraw from the area being sampled, whereby the operator's fingertip can guide the needle into a nodule and can feel the needle entering the nodule while being protected from a puncture wound caused by said needle.