Endoscopic multiple sample biopsy forceps

• US 6,083,150 A
• Filed: 03/12/1999
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ConMed Endoscopic Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Lukin, Peter J., Aznoian, Harold M., Page, Edward C., Dimitriou, John E., Patterson, Frank V, Lantagne, Steven L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINGOOD, PAMELA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/268,138
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 600/562, 600/564, 600/567, 606/205, 606/206, 606/207, 606/208
• US Class Current: 600/564
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/06 Biopsy forceps , e.g. with cup-shaped jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0225 for taking multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 Pins in guiding slots

Abstract

A endoscopic multiple sample biopsy forceps is disclosed having a jaw assembly with a pair of jaws connected to a pair of arms extending from a jaw housing. Each jaw has two shanks oppositely displaced from the longitudinal axis of the device to define a space in the rear of the jaw for storing collected tissue samples. The tissue storage space defined by the jaw shanks opens rearwardly into a tissue storage area defined within the housing. Each shank has a broad outwardly facing planar surface aligned with an inwardly facing planar surface on one of the pair of arms. A cam slot on each jaw shank is slidably engaged by a cam pin on one of the pair of arms. A puller member coaxially positioned in the housing and axially movable relative to the housing supports a pair of pivots, each of which pivotally engages a bore on at least one jaw shank. The puller member is attached to a drive wire coaxially positioned in a tubular shaft. Axial movement of the drive wire actuates the puller member. In response to axial movement of the puller along the longitudinal axis of the outer tube, the cam pins riding in the cam guide slots change the position relative to the fixed jaw pivot axis of the jaw, thus actuating the jaws. None of the jaw assembly elements movable relative to the device, except the jaws, are externally exposed such that they could contact targeted tissue and negatively affect tissue sampling operations. An ejector is provided to push collected samples from the tissue sample storage area.

Claims

1. An endoscopic biopsy device having a proximal end and a distal end defining a longitudinal axis, the distal end of which is adapted for obtaining from a tissue mass in a body cavity a plurality of tissue samples without withdrawing the distal end from the cavity, the device comprising:

an elongate flexible tubular shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

a drive wire having a proximal end and a distal end, the drive wire slidably supported in the shaft; and

a jaw assembly mounted to the distal end of the shaft in a longitudinally fixed position with respect to the shaft, the jaw assembly comprising;

a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the housing attached to the distal end of the shaft;

a puller member positioned inside the housing and attached to the distal end of the drive wire;

a pair of jaws, a distal end of each of the jaws extending from the housing and adapted to cut a portion of tissue from the tissue mass, a first shank extending from a proximal end of each of the jaws, the first shank of each jaw laterally offset from and in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the device, the first shank of each jaw extending into the distal end of the housing, the first shank of each jaw supporting cam means and pivot means, the first shank of each jaw connected to the distal end of the housing by one of the cam means and the pivot means, and connected to the puller member by the other of the cam means and the pivot means, whereby longitudinal movement of the drive wire relative to the shaft causes the pair of jaws to open and close; and

a tissue sample storage area adapted to receive the plurality of tissue samples, at least a portion of the tissue sample storage area defined by the first shank of each jaw being offset from the longitudinal axis;

wherein the pair of jaws is the only jaw assembly element movable relative to the shaft that is exposed externally of the biopsy device.

2. The endoscopic biopsy device of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the housing further comprises an inwardly directed first planar surface, the first shank of each jaw further comprises an outwardly directed planar surface and the outwardly directed planar surface of one of the pair of jaws is in planar alignment with the first planar surface.

3. The endoscopic biopsy device of claim 2 wherein the distal end of the housing further comprises an inwardly directed second planar surface, and the outwardly directed planar surface of the other of the pair jaws is in planar alignment with the second planar surface.

4. The endoscopic biopsy device of claim 2 wherein each jaw further comprises a second shank extending from an opposite side of the proximal end of each jaw, the second shank of each jaw laterally offset to a side of the longitudinal axis opposite the first shank, the second shank of each jaw extending into the distal end of the housing, the second shank of each jaw supporting cam means and pivot means, the second shank of each jaw connected to the distal end of the housing by one of the cam means and the pivot means, and connected to the puller member by the other of the cam means and the pivot means, the second shank of each jaw having an outwardly directed planar surface;

the distal end of the housing further comprises an inwardly directed second planar surface;

the planar surface of the first shank of each jaw is in planar alignment with the first planar surface, and the planar surface of the second shank of each jaw is in planar alignment with the second planar surface.

6. The endoscopic biopsy device of claim 1 wherein a second portion of the tissue sample storage area is defined by a portion of the housing lumen.

7. The endoscopic biopsy device of claim 1 further comprising:

an ejector including a distally facing wall positioned in the jaw assembly housing, the wall dimensioned to define a proximal end of the tissue storage area, and a drive member, the ejector movable along the longitudinal axis in response to movement of the drive member such that the wall is repositionable from the proximal end of the housing to the distal end of the housing to eject tissue samples.

8. The endoscopic biopsy device of claim 7 wherein a portion of the drive member is tubular.

9. The endoscopic biopsy device of claim 8 wherein the distal end of the drive wire extends into the tubular portion of the drive member, and the tubular portion of the drive member further comprises a lateral slot, the puller is connected to the distal end of the drive wire through the slot and the slot is dimensioned to permit the jaws to be operated independently from the ejector.

5. An endoscopic biopsy device having a proximal end and a distal end defining a longitudinal axis, the distal end adapted for obtaining from a mass of tissue in a body cavity a plurality of tissue samples without withdrawing the distal end from the cavity, the device comprising:

an elongate flexible tubular shaft defining a shaft lumen, the shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

a drive wire extending axially through the shaft lumen, the drive wire having a proximal end and a distal end, the drive wire axially movable relative to the shaft;

a biopsy jaw assembly including;

a housing having a base with a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the base mounted to the distal end of the shaft in a fixed position with respect to the distal end of the shaft, the base having a housing lumen aligned and in communication with the shaft lumen, a pair of arms integrally formed on and extending longitudinally from the distal end of the base, each of the pair of arms positioned on an opposite side of the distal end of the base, each of the pair of arms having an inwardly directed planar jaw interface surface facing the jaw interface surface of the other of the pair of arms, the housing having an outer width taken along a radial axis;

a puller member connected to the distal end of the drive wire, said puller member positioned within and longitudinally movable in said housing; and

a pair of jaws having a width, each jaw having a semi-cup shaped distal end with a depth, and each jaw having a sharpened edge with a length along the longitudinal axis, the pair of jaws having a biting portion defined by the width of the pair of jaws, by the combined depth of the distal end of each jaw, and by the length along the longitudinal axis of the sharpened edge, a first shank extending from a proximal end of each jaw, the first shank of each jaw extending between the pair of arms, the first shank of each jaw having a length and a width defining an outwardly directed planar surface in planar alignment with the jaw interface surface of one of the pair of arms, the width of the first shank is greater than one half of the outer width of the housing, the first shank of each jaw is laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of the biopsy device;

a cam slot and a cam pin connecting the first shank of each jaw to one of the puller member and one of the pair of arms;

a pivot pin and a bore connecting the first shank of each jaw to the other of the puller member and one of the pair of arms; and

a tissue sample storage area defined between the biting portion and the puller member;

wherein the upper biopsy jaw and the lower biopsy jaw are the only jaw assembly elements movable relative to the shaft that are exposed externally of the biopsy device.

10. The endoscopic biopsy device of claim 5 wherein at least one of said pair of jaws further comprises a lateral wall having a fenestration oriented along the longitudinal axis.

11. The endoscopic biopsy device of claim 10 wherein said fenestration has a first width at a proximal end, and a second width at a distal end, and the first width is greater than the second width.