Tissue Sample Flushing System for Biopsy Device

• US 20080183099A1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bard Peripheral Vascular Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co), Sonion Roskilde A/S
• Original Assignee: Sonion Roskilde A/S
• Inventors: Videbaek, Karsten, Jorgensen, Martin Bondo
• Granted Patent: US 8,157,744 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/563
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0096 Casings for storing test samples A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/02; containers for retaining a material to be analysed B01L3/50; containers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/16; swab-sampler being part of enzymology or microbiology container C12M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0266 means for severing sample
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0275 with sample notch, e.g. on the side of inner stylet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0283 with vacuum aspiration, e.g. caused by retractable plunger or by connected syringe A61B10/025, A61B10/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0208 Biopsy devices with actuators, e.g. with triggered spring mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0225 for taking multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/002 Auxiliary appliance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0475 Special features of memory means, e.g. removable memory cards
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/315 Basket-type carriers for tissues

Abstract

A biopsy device for harvesting at least one tissue sample from a human or animal body, e.g. in percutaneous aspiration biopsy, includes a hollow needle with a distal end portion adapted to be introduced into the body. A sample-receiving device with a cavity is movable in the hollow needle between a first extended and a second retracted position. A liquid supply unit comprising a flushing liquid, such as saline, is provided for ejecting the sample from the cavity, when the sample-receiving device is in the second retracted position. The liquid is conveyed form the liquid supply unit to a flushing chamber by an appropriate pump, such as a peristaltic pump.

Claims

1. A biopsy device for harvesting at least one tissue sample from a body of a living being, comprising:

a hollow needle with a distal end portion adapted to be introduced into the body;

a cutting mechanism for severing the at least one tissue sample;

a sample-receiving device with a cavity for receiving the at least one severed tissue sample, the sample-receiving device being receivable in the hollow needle and movable therein between a first extended position and a second retracted position;

a transport device for moving the sample-receiving device in the hollow needle; and

a liquid supply unit adapted to comprise a flushing liquid, the liquid supply unit being operatively connected to the cavity of the sample-receiving device through a hollow liquid transport member so as to allow tissue sample ejection by liquid flushing.

2. A biopsy device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply unit is operatively connected to the cavity of the sample-receiving device when the sample-receiving device is in its second retracted position, and wherein the liquid supply unit is disconnected from the cavity of the sample-receiving device when the sample-receiving device is in its first extended position.

3. A biopsy device according to claim 1, further comprising a pump for pumping the liquid from the liquid supply unit to the cavity of the sample-receiving device.

4. A biopsy device according to claim 3, wherein the pump comprises a peristaltic pump.

5. A biopsy device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply unit comprises a syringe-like liquid supply chamber and a plunger movably disposed in the liquid supply chamber.

6. A biopsy device according to claim 1, further comprising a handle unit with a power source and a motor for driving the transport device, and wherein the transport device, the hollow needle and the sample-receiving device are comprised in a disposable unit, which is releasably secured to the handle unit.

7. A biopsy device according to claim 6, wherein the liquid supply unit is releasably secured to the handle unit.

8. A biopsy device according to claim 6, further comprising a flushing chamber, with which the sample-receiving device is aligned in the second retracted position.

9. A biopsy device according to claim 1, further comprising a sample-collecting container defining at least one cavity for receiving said tissue sample, wherein the cavity communicates with the cavity of the sample-receiving device, when the sample-receiving device is in its second retracted position.

10. A biopsy device according to claim 9, further comprising a handle unit with a power source and a motor for driving the transport device, and wherein the transport device, the hollow needle and the sample-receiving device are comprised in a disposable unit, which is releasably secured to the handle unit, and wherein the sample-collecting container is releasably mounted to the disposable unit.

11. A biopsy device according to claim 1, wherein the sample receiving device comprises a cannula extending coaxially with the hollow needle in the hollow needle.

12. A biopsy device according to claim 9 wherein said at least one cavity for receiving the tissue sample comprises a plurality of cavities for receiving individual tissue samples, the sample-collecting container further comprising a mechanism for changing the relative position of the cavities relative to the sample-receiving device, so that different tissue samples harvested at different times can be flushed into separate cavities.

13. A biopsy device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply unit comprises a container for the flushing liquid, and wherein the hollow needle, the cutting mechanism, the sample-receiving device, the transport device, and the liquid supply unit are comprised in a hand-held unit.

14. A biopsy device according to claim 1, wherein the transport device comprises a bendable elongate element.

15. A biopsy device according to claim 1, further comprising a vacuum pump for generating a suction effect in the cavity of the sample-receiving device, the vacuum pump being in fluid communication with the cavity of the sample-receiving device through a longitudinally extending passage in the sample-receiving device.

16. A biopsy device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first user-operable firing mechanism for causing the hollow needle and the sample-receiving device to be longitudinally displaced in a distal direction, so as to penetrate body tissue at or near the suspect tissue mass; and

a second user-operable firing mechanism for causing the hollow needle to be longitudinally displaced in a distal direction from a first position, in which the sample-receiving device projects from the distal end of the hollow needle, to a second position, in which the hollow needle essentially accommodates the cavity of the sample-receiving device, so as to sever said tissue sample from remaining body tissue at the harvesting site.

17. A biopsy device according to claim 1, further comprising a control system for controlling movement of the transport device and for arresting the sample-receiving device in the second retracted position, the control system being arranged to automatically detect a distance between the first extended position and the second retracted position.

18. A method of harvesting at least one biopsy tissue sample from a body of a living being, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing a hollow needle with a distal end portion into the body;

severing the at least one tissue sample, so as to collect said at least one tissue sample in a sample-receiving device with a cavity for the severed tissue sample;

moving the sample-receiving device in the hollow needle from a first extended position to a second retracted position; and

ejecting the at least one tissue sample from the cavity of the sample-receiving device by flushing a liquid through the cavity.