Multiple biopsy sampling forceps

Claim 1

A device for obtaining tissue samples from a site within a body, said device constructed for severing and storing multiple samples without withdrawing said device from the body, said device having a flexible proximal portion constructed to follow a nonlinear path to said site and a distal portion constructed with a jaw arrangement that can be opened and closed to sever a tissue sample, said device comprising: an elongated multiple sampling element in the space encompassed by said jaw arrangement, said sampling element having a length, and said element including a distal end portion with a tissue-piercing profile and a proximal end fixed to the distal portion of said device to maintain said element in an orientation extending generally distally to facilitate tissue piercing as said device is urged toward a tissue surface, a retaining protrusion between said proximal end and said distal end portion of said multiple sampling element having a diameter greater than a diameter of a portion of said multiple sampling element for preventing stored sample on said portion of said element proximal of said retaining protrusion from moving distally when said jaw arrangement is opened to sever a successive sample from said surface, and a storage section located proximally of said protrusion and having a length adapted to store multiple samples impaled upon said element, said length of said storage section being a majority of said length of said sampling element, and a majority of said length of said storage section being located proximally of said protrusion.

Claim 2

A device for obtaining tissue samples from a site within a body, said device constructed for severing and storing multiple samples without withdrawing said device from the body, said device having a flexible proximal portion constructed to follow a nonlinear path to said site and a distal portion constructed with a jaw arrangement that can be opened and closed to sever a tissue sample, said device comprising: an elongated multiple sampling element in the space encompassed by said jaw arrangement, said sampling element having a length, and said element including a distal end portion with a tissue-piercing profile and a proximal end fixed to the distal portion of said device to maintain said element in an orientation extending generally distally to facilitate tissue piercing as said device is urged toward a tissue surface, a retaining protrusion between said proximal end and said distal end portion of said multiple sampling element having a diameter greater than a diameter of a portion of said multiple sampling element for preventing stored sample on said portion of said element proximal of said retaining protrusion from moving distally when said jaw arrangement is opened to sever a successive sample from said surface, and a storage section located proximally of said protrusion and having a length adapted to store multiple samples impaled upon said element, said length of said storage section being a majority of said length of said sampling element, and a majority of said length of said storage section being located proximally of said protrusion.

Claim 8

The device of any one of claims 1, 2, 3 or 6 wherein said diameter of said retaining protrusion is about 25-250% larger than a diameter of said storage section immediately proximal of said protrusion.

Claim 9

The device of any one of claims 1, 2, 3 or 6 wherein a diameter of said storage section is substantially constant.

Claim 18

A device for obtaining tissue samples having a distal end constructed with a jaw arrangement that can be opened and closed to sever said sample, including tissue specimens, polyps and the like, from a surface, comprising: said device constructed for severing and storing multiple samples, including: an elongated multiple sampling element in the form of an elongated spear-form member in the space encompassed by said jaws, said member fixed to maintain an orientation extending along a selected length to a distal end to pierce said samples and allow proximal sliding of previous samples along its length during piercing of tissue to take a successive sample, said element including near its distal end a retaining protrusion with diameter greater than the diameter of portions proximal of said protrusion, said protrusion providing sufficient frictional force to substantially retain a sample positioned at least in part proximally of said protrusion from moving distally from said space encompassed by said jaws when said jaws are opened to sever a successive sample from said surface, the length of said protrusion being less than about 15% of the length of said element.

Claim 19

A device for obtaining tissue samples having a distal end constructed with a jaw arrangement that can be opened and closed to sever said sample, including tissue specimens, polyps and the like, from a surface, comprising: said device constructed for severing and storing multiple samples, including: an elongated multiple sampling element in the form of an elongated spear-form member in the space encompassed by said jaws, said member fixed to maintain an orientation extending along a selected length to a distal end to pierce said samples and allow proximal sliding of previous samples along its length during piercing of tissue to take a successive sample, said element including near its distal end a retaining protrusion with diameter greater than the diameter of portions proximal of said protrusion, said protrusion providing sufficient frictional force to substantially retain a sample positioned at least in part proximally of said protrusion from moving distally from said space encompassed by said jaws when said jaws are opened to sever a successive sample from said surface, the length of said protrusion being less than about 15% of the length of said element.

Claim 30

A device for obtaining tissue samples from a site within a body, said device constructed for severing and storing multiple samples without withdrawing said device from the body, said device having a flexible proximal portion constructed to follow a nonlinear path to said site and a distal portion constructed with a jaw arrangement that can be opened and closed to sever a tissue sample, said device comprising: an elongated multiple sampling element in the space encompassed by said jaw arrangement, said sampling element having a length and said sampling element fixed to maintain an orientation extending generally distally along a selected length to a distal end to facilitate tissue-piercing as said device is urged toward a tissue surface, said multiple sampling element including a high-friction textured surface to substantially retain said samples from moving distally when said jaw arrangement is opened to sever a successive sample from said surface, and a storage section having a length adapted to store multiple samples impaled on said element, said length of said storage section being a majority of said length of said sampling element, and a majority of said length of said storage section being located proximally of at least a part of said element including said textured surface.

Claim 31

A device for obtaining tissue samples from a site within a body, said device constructed for severing and storing multiple samples without withdrawing said device from the body, said device having a flexible proximal portion constructed to follow a nonlinear path to said site and a distal portion constructed with a jaw arrangement that can be opened and closed to sever a tissue sample, said device comprising: an elongated multiple sampling element in the space encompassed by said jaw arrangement, said sampling element having a length and said sampling element fixed to maintain an orientation extending generally distally along a selected length to a distal end to facilitate tissue-piercing as said device is urged toward a tissue surface, said multiple sampling element including a high-friction textured surface to substantially retain said samples from moving distally when said jaw arrangement is opened to sever a successive sample from said surface, and a storage section having a length adapted to store multiple samples impaled on said element, said length of said storage section being a majority of said length of said sampling element, and a majority of said length of said storage section being located proximally of at least a part of said element including said textured surface.