Instrument for surgically cutting tissue and method of use
First Claim
1. An instrument for cutting tissue comprising:
- a proximal end having a housing;
a shaft extending from said housing;
a distal end coupled to said shaft;
said distal end having a cavity and an opening to said cavity;
means for providing suction along said shaft to said distal end;
means for distributing said suction at said distal end through one or more openings of a tissue engaging surface in said cavity to enable tissue adjacent said opening of said distal end to be pulled into said cavity against said tissue engaging surface; and
means for cutting said tissue engaged by said suction against said tissue engaging surface to provide a single tissue specimen in said cavity, in which said cutting means has a blade extendable over said tissue engaging surface to cut tissue extending through said opening and thereby capture said single tissue specimen engaged against said tissue engaging surface, wherein the tissue to be cut is retained in said cavity of said distal end in response to the suction provided through said one or more openings in the tissue engaging surface both before and after extension of said blade over said tissue engaging surface.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An instrument for precisely cutting tissue to controlled dimensions (length, width, depth, and shape) is provided for the removal of tissue specimens from remote sites in the body of a patient, such as from the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, or vascular structures, or any tissue surface or soft tissue of the body. The instrument has a housing and a substantially flexible shaft extending from the housing to a distal end. The distal end of the instrument has an open cavity into which tissue is receivable. Suction can be communicated along the shaft to the distal end for distribution across the cavity utilizing a manifold having a grated tissue engaging surface with opening(s) for applying the suction, thereby pulling tissue adjacent to the distal end into the cavity against the tissue engaging surface of the manifold. One or more hollow needles are extendable from the housing through the shaft into the cavity to enable infusion of fluid, such as saline or a hemostatic agent, into the tissue. A blade in the distal end is extendable through the cavity over the manifold and across the opening to cut the tissue held by suction and stabilized by the needles in the cavity. The shape and depth of the tissue removed by the cuts is in accordance with the contour of the tissue engaging surface and the size and shape of the cavity at the distal end. The tissue so removed by the instrument may be for therapeutic intervention and/or represent a tissue specimen for biopsy suitable of diagnostic evaluation. The tissue edges in the patient'"'"'s body left after cutting with this instrument readily avail themselves to apposition for enhanced healing.
131 Citations
49 Claims
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1. An instrument for cutting tissue comprising:
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a proximal end having a housing; a shaft extending from said housing; a distal end coupled to said shaft; said distal end having a cavity and an opening to said cavity; means for providing suction along said shaft to said distal end; means for distributing said suction at said distal end through one or more openings of a tissue engaging surface in said cavity to enable tissue adjacent said opening of said distal end to be pulled into said cavity against said tissue engaging surface; and means for cutting said tissue engaged by said suction against said tissue engaging surface to provide a single tissue specimen in said cavity, in which said cutting means has a blade extendable over said tissue engaging surface to cut tissue extending through said opening and thereby capture said single tissue specimen engaged against said tissue engaging surface, wherein the tissue to be cut is retained in said cavity of said distal end in response to the suction provided through said one or more openings in the tissue engaging surface both before and after extension of said blade over said tissue engaging surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An instrument for cutting tissue comprising:
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a proximal end having a housing; a shaft extending from said housing; a distal end coupled to said shaft; said distal end having a cavity and an opening to said cavity; means for providing suction along said shaft to said distal end in which said distal end; means for distributing said suction at said distal end through one or more openings of a tissue engaging surface in said cavity to enable tissue adjacent said opening of said distal end to be pulled into said cavity against said tissue engaging surface; and means for cutting said tissue engaged against said tissue engaging surface in said cavity, wherein said cutting means utilizes a single linear edged blade oriented along a longitudinal dimension of the cavity to cut a linear slit incision across said cavity of a predetermined length and depth. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. An apparatus for remotely removing a tissue specimen comprising:
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a shaft coupled to a distal housing; said distal housing having a cavity into which tissue is receivable and a surface disposed in said cavity; said shaft having one or more paths for communicating suction to said distal housing to draw tissue against said surface, said surface having one or more openings for communicating suction to tissue; and a blade disposed in said distal housing for cutting tissue present in said cavity when engaged by said suction against said surface, wherein the tissue is retainable in said cavity of said distal housing after extension of said blade sufficiently across said surface, wherein said distal housing further comprises an opening along one single side of said cavity into which tissue is receivable, and said surface extends in said cavity and faces said opening, and tissue is drawn by suction against said surface via said opening along said side of said cavity. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An apparatus for remotely cutting tissue comprising:
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a shaft coupled to a distal housing; said distal housing having a cavity into which tissue is receivable and a surface extending in said cavity; said shaft having one or more paths for communicating suction to said distal housing to draw tissue against said surface, said surface having one or more openings for communicating suction to tissue; and a blade extendible in the distal housing for cutting tissue in said cavity when engaged against said surface to make a linear slit incision through said engaged tissue, wherein said distal housing further comprises an opening along one single side of said cavity into which tissue is receivable, and said surface extends in said cavity and faces said opening, and tissue is drawn by suction against said surface via said opening along said side of said cavity. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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Specification