US5980469A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for automated biopsy and collection of soft tissue
Assignee: Devicor Medical Products Inc
•
Filing: 1998-01-09
•
Granted: 1999-11-09
•
Expires: 2018-01-09
Abstract
Abstract A method and device for the automated biopsy and collection of soft tissue having a piercing needle with a receiving port to trap tissue prior to cutting. A motor drive directs and positions the tissue receiving port at a lesion site in arbitrary positions about and along the longitudinal axis of the device. A cutter advances into the receiving chamber and severs tissue which has prolapsed into the receiving port. The severed tissue is then removed from the receiving port without removing the piercing needle receiving port from the lesion site, thus allowing for the accurate, rapid removal of an arbitrary number of core samples with only one insertion. A tissue sample cassette provides storage for the samples as well as a means for coding and decoding the location from which the samples were obtained. Together, these features allow for more accurate and complete sampling of large lesions, for the complete removal of small lesions or removal of other tissue for a variety of reasons.
Inventors
- 👤 Fred H. Burbank
- 👤 Thomas J. Fogarty
- 👤 Wayne E. Manska
- 👤 Mark A. Ritchart
- 👤 Timothy J. Ryan
- 👤 Elias A. Zerhouni
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 02:19
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0233; A61B10/0266; A61B10/0275; A61B10/0096; A61B10/0283; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B17/221; A61B2010/0208; A61B2010/0225; A61B17/30; A61B2017/303
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
A biopsy instrument comprising: a) a disposable needle portion having: i) a needle, said needle having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a tissue receiving port adjacent to the distal end of said needle; and ii) a cutter movably positioned relative to said needle; and b) a reusable driver portion having: i) a needle linear driver coupled to said needle, such that when said needle linear driver is actuated, said needle advances axially relative to said reusable driver portion for positioning said tissue receiving port of said needle at a biopsy site of the patient; and ii) a cutter driver element coupled to said cutter, such that when said cutter driver element is actuated, said cutter moves non-axially relative to said needle for severing a tissue sample received in said tissue receiving port of said needle at the biopsy site; wherein said disposable needle portion is separable from said reusable driver portion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
A biopsy instrument comprising: a) a disposable needle portion having: i) a needle, said needle having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a tissue receiving port adjacent to the distal end of said needle; and ii) a cutter movably positioned relative to said needle; and b) a reusable driver portion having: i) a needle linear driver coupled to said needle, such that when said needle linear driver is actuated, said needle advances axially relative to said reusable driver portion for positioning said tissue receiving port of said needle at a biopsy site of the patient; and ii) a cutter driver element coupled to said cutter, such that when said cutter driver element is actuated, said cutter moves non-axially relative to said needle for severing a tissue sample received in said tissue receiving port of said needle at the biopsy site; wherein said disposable needle portion is separable from said reusable driver portion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said reusable driver portion has a needle driver chamber therein containing said needle linear driver, said needle driver chamber receiving said needle so as to couple said needle to said needle linear driver in said needle driver chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 2, wherein said reusable driver portion has a cutter driver chamber therein containing said cutter driver, said cutter driver chamber receiving said cutter so as to couple said cutter to said cutter driver chamber.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle comprises a piercing needle, said needle distal end being adapted to pierce tissue of a patient.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said needle is hollow and said cutter is a cannular cutter movably positioned coaxially relative to said needle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 5, wherein said disposable needle portion has a knock out element movably positioned coaxially within said cannular cutter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 6, wherein said reusable driver portion has a linear driver coupled to said knock out element, and when said linear driver is actuated, said knock out element moves axially distally, and relative to said cannular cutter to facilitate removal of the severed tissue sample received in said tissue discharge port of said needle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said reusable driver portion has a needle drive gear coupled to said needle, such that when said needle drive gear is actuated, said needle rotates about the longitudinal axis of said needle relative to said reusable driver portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said cutter driver element comprises a cutter drive gear, such that when said cutter drive gear is actuated, said cutter rotates relative to said needle about the longitudinal axis of said needle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 9, wherein said cutter rotates continuously in a single angular direction responsive to actuation of said cutter drive gear.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 9, wherein said cutter oscillates in opposing angular directions responsive to actuation of said cutter drive gear.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
The biopsy instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said reusable driver portion further comprises a cutter linear driver coupled to said cutter, such that when said cutter linear driver is actuated, said cutter moves axially relative to said needle for severing a tissue sample received in said tissue receiving port of said needle at the biopsy site.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
343 words
A method for obtaining biopsy samples from multiple patients, said method comprising: a) providing a reusable driver portion of a biopsy instrument having a needle linear driver adapted to couple with first and second needles, and a cutter driver adapted to couple with first and second cutters; b) attaching a first disposable portion of said biopsy instrument to said reusable driver portion, said first disposable portion having a first needle coupling with said needle linear driver, and a first cutter coupling with said cutter driver, said first needle having a first tissue receiving port therein; c) actuating said needle linear driver to advance said first needle to a first biopsy site of a first patient; d) actuating said cutter driver to move said first cutter relative to said first needle for severing a first tissue sample which has entered said first tissue receiving port of said first needle; e) removing the first tissue sample from the first patient; f) upon removal of all of the tissue samples desired to be taken from the first patient, separating said first disposable portion of said biopsy instrument from said reusable driver portion; g) disposing of said first disposable portion of said biopsy instrument; h) attaching a second disposable portion of said biopsy instrument to said reusable driver portion, said second disposable portion having a second needle coupling with said needle linear driver, and a second cutter coupling with said cutter driver, said second needle having a second tissue receiving port therein; i) actuating said needle linear driver to advance said second needle to a second biopsy site of a second patient; j) actuating said cutter driver to move said second cutter relative to said second needle for cutting a second tissue sample which has entered said second tissue receiving port of said second needle; k) removing the second tissue sample from the second patient; and l) upon removal of all of the tissue samples desired to be taken from the second patient, separating said second disposable portion of the biopsy instrument from said reusable driver portion.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
343 words
A method for obtaining biopsy samples from multiple patients, said method comprising: a) providing a reusable driver portion of a biopsy instrument having a needle linear driver adapted to couple with first and second needles, and a cutter driver adapted to couple with first and second cutters; b) attaching a first disposable portion of said biopsy instrument to said reusable driver portion, said first disposable portion having a first needle coupling with said needle linear driver, and a first cutter coupling with said cutter driver, said first needle having a first tissue receiving port therein; c) actuating said needle linear driver to advance said first needle to a first biopsy site of a first patient; d) actuating said cutter driver to move said first cutter relative to said first needle for severing a first tissue sample which has entered said first tissue receiving port of said first needle; e) removing the first tissue sample from the first patient; f) upon removal of all of the tissue samples desired to be taken from the first patient, separating said first disposable portion of said biopsy instrument from said reusable driver portion; g) disposing of said first disposable portion of said biopsy instrument; h) attaching a second disposable portion of said biopsy instrument to said reusable driver portion, said second disposable portion having a second needle coupling with said needle linear driver, and a second cutter coupling with said cutter driver, said second needle having a second tissue receiving port therein; i) actuating said needle linear driver to advance said second needle to a second biopsy site of a second patient; j) actuating said cutter driver to move said second cutter relative to said second needle for cutting a second tissue sample which has entered said second tissue receiving port of said second needle; k) removing the second tissue sample from the second patient; and l) upon removal of all of the tissue samples desired to be taken from the second patient, separating said second disposable portion of the biopsy instrument from said reusable driver portion.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method for obtaining biopsy samples from multiple patients as recited in claim 13, wherein said first and second needles are piercing needles for piercing tissue of a patient.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for obtaining a tissue sample from a patient, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a reusable driver portion of a biopsy instrument having a needle linear driver and a cutter driver; b) providing a disposable needle portion of a biopsy instrument having a needle and a cutter, said needle having a tissue receiving port therein; c) attaching said disposable needle portion to said reusable driver portion by coupling said needle with said needle linear driver and said cutter with said cutter driver; d) placing said disposable needle portion in tissue of the patient by advancing said needle with said needle linear driver; e) severing a tissue sample received in said tissue receiving port of said needle by actuating said cutter with said cutter driver; f) removing the severed tissue sample from the patient; g) separating said disposable needle portion from said reusable driver portion; and h) disposing of said disposable needle portion.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
156 words
A method for obtaining a tissue sample from a patient, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing a reusable driver portion of a biopsy instrument having a needle linear driver and a cutter driver; b) providing a disposable needle portion of a biopsy instrument having a needle and a cutter, said needle having a tissue receiving port therein; c) attaching said disposable needle portion to said reusable driver portion by coupling said needle with said needle linear driver and said cutter with said cutter driver; d) placing said disposable needle portion in tissue of the patient by advancing said needle with said needle linear driver; e) severing a tissue sample received in said tissue receiving port of said needle by actuating said cutter with said cutter driver; f) removing the severed tissue sample from the patient; g) separating said disposable needle portion from said reusable driver portion; and h) disposing of said disposable needle portion.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method for obtaining a tissue sample from a patient as recited in claim 15, and further comprising the step of reusing said reusable driver portion for a procedure on a second patient.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method for obtaining a tissue sample from a patient as recited in claim 16, including providing another disposable needle portion having a needle and a cutter, said needle having a tissue receiving port therein, said method including repeating steps c) through h) on said second patient with said other disposable needle portion.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-11-08 | 2003-05-10 | 2003-11-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-11-08 | 2007-05-10 | 2007-11-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-11-08 | 2011-05-10 | 2011-11-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |