Aspiration needle apparatus incorporating its own vacuum and method and adapter for use therewith

• US 5,701,910 A
• Filed: 08/19/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Cytometric Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Advanced Cytometric Incorporated
• Inventors: Imran, Mir A., Powles, Trevor J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael Powell
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ANH TUAN TUONG
• Application Number:
  US08/699,209
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 604/240, 604/411, 604/412, 604/413, 604/414, 604/415, 604/200, 604/217, 604/272, 604/35, 604/36, 604/136, 604/191, 128/752, 128/764, 128/765, 128/762, 128/770
• US Class Current: 600/577
• 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

Abstract

An aspiration needle apparatus for collecting cell samples by withdrawing aspirate from tissue in a living body. An aspiration needle is provided which has a flow passage extending from its proximal extremity to its distal extremity. The proximal extremity has a hub end a cell collection chamber therein in communication with the flow passage. A vacuum container is provided which has an enclosed evacuated space evacuated to a subambient pressure to provide a predetermined volume of evacuated space devoid of a solid or a liquid and devoted solely to providing the desired vacuum. The vacuum container is sealed by a penetrable diaphragm providing access to the evacuated space. An adapter mounted on the hub and making a fluid-tight connection therewith is formed to receive the vacuum container. The adapter includes a needle having a flow passage in communication with the flow passage in the aspiration needle. A spring is carried by the adapter. The adapter and the vacuum container are formed so as to permit relative movement between the adapter and the vacuum container against the force of the spring to cause the needle to puncture the diaphragm and thus connect the evacuated space to the aspiration needle to supply subambient pressure to the aspiration needle thereby causing aspirate from the tissue to be drawn into the cell collection chamber.

Claims

1. An aspiration needle apparatus for collecting cell samples by withdrawing aspirate from tissue in a living body comprising an aspiration needle having proximal and distal extremities and having a flow passage extending from the proximal extremity to the distal extremity, the proximal extremity having a hub formed thereon, said hub having a cell collection chamber therein in communication with the flow passage in the aspiration needle, a vacuum container having an enclosed evacuated space evacuated to a subambient pressure which provides a predetermined volume of evacuated space devoid of a solid or a liquid and devoted solely to providing the desired vacuum and sealed by a penetrable diaphragm providing access to the evacuated space, an adapter mounted on the hub and making a fluid-tight connection therewith, said adapter being formed to receive said vacuum container and receiving said vacuum container, said adapter including needle means carried thereby having a flow passage therein in communication with the flow passage in the aspiration needle, yieldable means carried by the adapter, said adapter and said vacuum container being formed so as to permit relative movement between the adapter and the vacuum container against the force of the yieldable means to cause the needle means to puncture the diaphragm of the vacuum container to connect the evacuated space having a subambient pressure in the vacuum container to the aspiration needle to supply the subambient pressure to the aspiration needle to cause aspirate from the tissue to be drawn into the cell collection chamber.