Biopsy sampler

• US 5,928,163 A
• Filed: 06/27/1997
• Issued: 07/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Corporation
• Inventors: Diamond, Bruce H., Roberts, Troy W.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Connor, Cary
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINGOOD, PAMELA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US08/884,043
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 606/39, 606/40, 606/41, 606/42, 606/46, 606/47, 606/48, 606/50, 606/205, 606/170, 606/27, 600/114, 600/139, 600/136, 600/199, 600/562, 600/564, 600/597
• US Class Current: 600/567
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/06 Biopsy forceps , e.g. with cup-shaped jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3478 Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1442 Probes having pivoting end effectors, e.g. forceps
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1482 having a long rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously in minimal invasive surgery, e.g. laparoscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1485 having a short rigid shaft for accessing the inner body through natural openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0016 Energy applicators arranged in a two- or three dimensional array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00595 Cauterization
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar

Abstract

The invention features an assembly for taking a biopsy sample from a site within the body of a patient. The assembly includes a resecting device having a cutter near its distal end for resecting and containing a tissue sample and a sheath exterior to the resecting device and sized to be present within the body with the resecting device. The sheath includes an electrode element electrically isolated from the resecting device and disposed on the sheath'"'"'s outer surface for cauterizing tissue. The resecting device and the sheath cooperate to permit sequential resecting of a tissue sample from a resecting site and cauterizing of the site with the cutter sufficiently spaced from the electrode element to avoid heat damage to the tissue sample.

Claims

1. An assembly for taking a biopsy sample from a site within the body of a patient, comprising:

a resecting device including a cutter near its distal end for resecting a tissue sample, and

a sheath exterior to said resecting device and sized to be present within the body with said resecting device, said sheath including an electrode element electrically isolated from said cutter and disposed on said sheath'"'"'s outer surface for cauterizing tissue, and said resecting device and sheath being cooperatively constructed to permit spatial separation between said cutter and said electrode element,

said cutter being constructed to hold said tissue sample stationary in a fixed position spaced from said electrode element and to avoid heat damage to said tissue sample held stationary in said fixed position while said electrode element cauterizes said site.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said sheath includes a lumen sized to slidably receive said resecting device.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said sheath and resecting device are constructed as a unitary device wherein said cutter extends distally of the termination of said sheath and said electrode is spaced proximally of said cutter.

4. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said cutter includes forceps.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said electrode element is a monopolar electrode.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said electrode element is a cylindrical electrode.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said electrode element is a pair of bipolar electrodes.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein both of said electrodes are cylindrical electrodes.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein both of said electrodes are "C" shaped electrodes.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said sheath further includes

a lumen disposed in its sidewall for receiving an electrical connection to said electrode element.

11. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said sheath is precurved.

12. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said sheath is a deflectable sheath including a tension wire having a distal end fixed toward the distal end of said sheath and wherein pulling on a proximal end of said tension wire causes a distal portion of said sheath to bend.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein said sheath includes a lumen disposed in its sidewall for receiving a connection to said electrode element and said tension wire.

14. The assembly of claim 1 sized to pass through an endoscope.

17. A method for taking a biopsy sample from a site within the body of a patient, comprising

positioning an assembly as described in claim 1 such that said resecting device and sheath are within the body,

resecting a tissue sample from a resecting site with said resecting device and containing said tissue sample with said cutter,

locating said electrode element at said resecting site with said cutter containing said sample spaced from said electrode element, and

cauterizing said site by application of power to said electrode element.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said sheath includes a lumen sized to slidably receive said resecting device and wherein said method further comprises the steps of:

inserting said resecting device within said lumen of said sheath,

extending said resecting device from a distal end of said sheath and positioning said resecting device at a resecting site, and

withdrawing said resecting device within said lumen a distance away from said distal end of said sheath.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising

extending said cutter from said sheath to space said cutter from said electrode.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising

withdrawing said resecting device completely from said sheath,

removing said tissue sample from said resecting device

reinserting said resecting device within said lumen of said sheath,

extending said resecting device from said distal end of said sheath and positioning said resecting device at a new resecting site,

resecting a tissue sample from said new resecting site with said resecting device and containing said tissue sample with said cutter,

withdrawing said resecting device within said lumen a distance away from said electrode element,

positioning said electrode element at said new resecting site, and

cauterizing said new resecting site by application of power to said electrode element.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising, before said positioning step,

inserting an endoscope within the body, wherein said sheath is inserted within said endoscope.

22. A method for performing a biopsy procedure, comprising

providing an assembly as described in claim 1 wherein said sheath and resecting device are constructed as a unitary device wherein said cutter extends distally of the termination of said sheath and said electrode is spaced proximally of said cutter,

positioning said resecting device and said sheath along a treatment path,

positioning said resecting device at a resecting site,

resecting a tissue sample from said resecting site with said resecting device and containing said tissue sample with said cutter,

positioning said electrodes at said resecting site, and

cauterizing said site by application of power to said electrode element.

15. An assembly for taking a biopsy sample from a site within the body of a patient, comprising:

a resecting device including forceps near its distal end for resecting and containing a tissue sample, and

a sheath exterior to said resecting device and sized to be present within the body with said resecting device and including

a lumen sized to slidably receive said resecting device,

said sheath including an electrode element electrically isolated from said resecting device and disposed on said sheath'"'"'s outer surface for cauterizing tissue, and

said resecting device and sheath being cooperatively constructed to permit sequential resecting of a tissue sample from a resecting site and cauterizing of said site with said forceps spaced from said electrode element in a fixed position and to avoid heat damage to said tissue sample while said site is cauterized and said forceps holds said tissue sample stationary in said fixed position.

16. An assembly for taking a biopsy sample from a site within the body of a patient, comprising:

a resecting device including forceps near its distal end for resecting and containing a tissue sample, and

a sheath exterior to said resecting device and sized to be present within the body with said resecting device, wherein said sheath and resecting device are constructed as a unitary device and wherein said forceps extend distally of the termination of said sheath,

said sheath including an electrode element electrically isolated from said resecting device, spaced proximally to said forceps, and disposed on said sheath'"'"'s outer surface for cauterizing tissue, and

said resecting device and sheath cooperatively constructed to permit sequential resecting of a tissue sample from a resecting site and cauterizing of said site with said forceps spaced from said electrode element in a fixed position and to avoid heat damage to said tissue sample while said site is cauterized and said forceps holds said tissue sample stationary in said fixed position.