Tissue handling system with reduced operator exposure

• US 8,485,987 B2
• Filed: 10/05/2007
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bard Peripheral Vascular Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Bard Peripheral Vascular Incorporated (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Videbaek, Karsten, Staal, Lasse G., Danborg, Lasse, Gundberg, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US12/444,084
• Publication Number:
  US 20100106053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,111 Days
• Field of Search: 600562-567, 604/290, 604317-319
• US Class Current: 600/564
• 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 2010/0225 for taking multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/026 Fluid interfacing between devices or objects, e.g. connectors, inlet details
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0621 Control of the sequence of chambers filled or emptied
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/141 Preventing contamination, tampering
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/049 Valves integrated in closure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0832 cylindrical, tube shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/087 Multiple sequential chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0457 passive flow or gravitation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0644 rotary valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502 with fluid transport, e.g. in multi-compartment structures centrifugal-type cuvettes G01N21/07; analysis by separation into components G01N30/00; automatic analysers G01N35/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/523 with means for closing or opening

Abstract

A tissue handling system includes a biopsy device having an invasive unit with tissue-receiving and tissue-severing components being capable of harvesting and bringing at least one tissue sample to a point outside the body of a patient. The tissue handling system further includes a tissue collecting device adapted to be brought in detachable operative engagement with the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device to remove the at least one tissue sample. Additionally, the tissue handling device comprises a tissue storage container configured to receive the at least one tissue sample, the entire tissue collecting device, or the part of the collecting device that contains the at least one tissue sample. The tissue storage container further is configured to receive a volume of preserving agent. The tissue handling system also comprises a vessel including the preserving agent adapted to be gas-tightly mated or coupled to the tissue storage container.

Claims

1. A tissue handling system comprising:

a biopsy device having a housing with a housing cavity, an invasive unit with tissue-receiving components, and tissue-severing components configured for harvesting and bringing at least one tissue sample to a point outside the body of a patient;

a tissue collecting device configured to be removably mounted to the biopsy device and configured for detachable operative engagement with the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device, the tissue collecting device having a collecting unit configured to be mounted in the housing cavity of the biopsy device and configured to receive the at least one tissue sample during a biopsy procedure;

a tissue storage container separate from the biopsy device configured to removably mount the tissue collecting device after the tissue collecting device is removed from the biopsy device following the biopsy procedure, the tissue storage container having a trough configured to receive therein the collecting unit of the tissue collecting device that contains the at least one tissue sample the tissue storage container further being configured to receive a volume of preserving agent in the trough; and

a vessel adapted to contain the preserving agent and adapted to be coupled to the tissue storage container to facilitate transfer of the preserving agent to the trough of the tissue storage container.

2. A system according to claim 1, comprising:

a disk positioned over the trough of the tissue storage container, the disk having a plurality of holes; and

wherein the vessel is a storage container lid configured for connection to the tissue collecting device, the storage container lid having a plurality of apertures, and the storage container lid has a compartment for storing the preserving agent, and

wherein the compartment is closed by a liquid and gas tight closure when the storage container lid is coupled to the tissue storage container and the plurality of apertures and the plurality of holes are not in alignment, said closure being configured to be released when the storage container lid is rotated relative to the tissue storage container to align the plurality of apertures and the plurality of holes.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the tissue storage container and the vessel comprise a connecting structure for gas-tightly mating the vessel to the tissue storage container, and wherein the connecting structure is configured to facilitate release of the preserving agent as a consequence of rotating the vessel relative to the tissue storage container.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vessel is comprised in a lid configured to couple to the tissue collecting device and configured to close the tissue storage container and suspend the collecting unit in the trough.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the lid is configured for attachment to the tissue storage container in such a way that a first attachment action establishes a gas tight coupling of the vessel to the tissue storage container, and a second attachment action facilitates release of the preserving agent, the tissue storage container and the lid being arranged such that the second attachment action cannot occur prior to the first attachment action.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vessel includes a syringe, and wherein the tissue storage container comprises a connecting mechanism for gas-tightly coupling the syringe to the tissue storage container.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the collecting unit includes a plurality of individual tissue chambers, and wherein the tissue collecting device is configured to facilitate sequentially removing, from the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device, a plurality of individual tissue samples as they are excised from the body of the patient and temporarily store the tissue samples in respective individual tissue chambers.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the collecting unit includes a chamber, and wherein the tissue collecting device is configured to facilitate sequentially removing, from the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device, a plurality of individual tissues samples as they are excised from the body of the patient and temporarily store the tissue samples in one single bulk in said chamber.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the vessel is adapted to contain a volume of preserving agent, which is sufficient to cover the at least one tissue sample when stored in the tissue storage container.

25. The tissue handling system of claim 1, wherein the tissue storage container is configured to receive the entire tissue collecting device.

26. The tissue handling system of claim 1, wherein the biopsy device comprises a disposable unit, and the housing and the tissue collecting device being configured for removal as a unit from the disposable unit.

27. The tissue handling system of claim 1, wherein the biopsy device comprises a disposable unit, the tissue collecting device being configured for operative engagement with the disposable unit, the tissue collecting device being stepwise rotatable about a central axis.

28. The tissue handling system of claim 27, wherein the tissue collecting device includes a plurality of individual tissue chambers, and wherein the tissue collecting device is configured to facilitate sequentially removing, from the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device, a plurality of individual tissue samples as they are excised from the body of the patient and temporarily store the tissue samples in individual tissue chambers.

10. A method of handling at least one tissue sample harvested during a biopsy procedure, the method comprising:

providing a biopsy device having tissue-receiving components and a housing cavity, and having a tissue collecting device configured to be removably mounted to the biopsy device and configured for detachable operative engagement with the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device and having a collecting unit configured to be mounted in the housing cavity and configured to receive the at least one tissue sample during the biopsy procedure;

detachably engaging the tissue collecting device to said tissue-receiving components and mounting the collecting unit of the tissue collecting device in the housing cavity to receive the at least one tissue sample during a biopsy procedure;

performing the biopsy procedure to collect the at least one tissue sample in the collecting unit of the tissue collecting device;

removing the tissue collecting device having the collecting unit that contains the at least one tissue sample from the biopsy device;

mounting the tissue collecting device to a tissue storage container separate from the biopsy device, with the collecting unit of the tissue collecting device that contains the at least one tissue sample being mounted in a trough of the tissue storage container;

gas-tightly coupling a vessel containing a volume of a preserving agent to the tissue storage container; and

transferring the volume of preserving agent from the vessel to the trough of the tissue storage container, when the vessel is gas-tightly coupled to the tissue storage container.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the vessel has a plurality of apertures and has a compartment for storing the preserving agent and the tissue storage container has a plurality of holes, and wherein the compartment is closed by a liquid and gas tight closure formed by the vessel and the tissue storage container, and wherein said closure is released from a closed condition to an open condition, when the vessel is mated to the tissue storage container and the plurality of apertures are aligned with the plurality of holes.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said closure is caused to be released as a consequence of mating the vessel to the tissue storage container.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the vessel is comprised in a lid for closing the tissue storage container, and wherein the lid is attached to the tissue storage container in such a way that a first attachment action establishes a gas tight coupling of the vessel to the tissue storage container, and a second subsequent attachment action causes release of said closure.

14. A method according to claim 13, comprising, subsequently to said step of transferring, the further step of conveying the tissue storage container with the at least one tissue sample container therein from a first handling site to a second handling site, when the tissue sample container is closed by said lid.

15. A system for receiving and storing at least one tissue sample harvested by a biopsy device having a housing cavity, the system comprising:

a tissue collecting device configured to be removably mounted to the biopsy device and configured for detachable operative engagement with tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device to receive the at least one tissue sample during a biopsy procedure, the tissue collecting device having a collecting unit configured to be mounted in the housing cavity of the biopsy device to receive the at least one tissue sample during a biopsy procedure;

a tissue storage container separate from the biopsy device and configured to removably mount the tissue collecting device after the biopsy procedure, the tissue storage container having a trough for receiving therein the collecting unit of the tissue collecting device so as to facilitate receiving the at least one tissue sample from the tissue collecting device and to facilitate storing of the at least one tissue sample;

a vessel containing a volume of a preserving agent;

a connecting structure for gas-tightly coupling the vessel to the tissue storage container; and

a fluid transferring mechanism for causing a transfer of the volume of preserving agent from the vessel to the tissue storage container, when the vessel is gas-tightly coupled to the tissue storage container.

16. A system according to claim 15, comprising:

a disk positioned over the trough of the tissue storage container, the disk having a plurality of holes; and

wherein the vessel is a storage container lid configured for connection to the tissue collecting device, the storage container lid having a plurality of apertures, and the storage container lid has a compartment for storing the preserving agent, and

wherein the compartment is closed by a liquid and gas tight closure when the storage container lid is coupled to the tissue storage container and the plurality of apertures and the plurality of holes are not in alignment, said closure being configured to be released when the storage container lid is rotated relative to the tissue storage container to align the plurality of apertured and the pluralty of holes.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein the tissue storage container and the vessel comprise a connecting structure for gas-tightly mating the vessel to the tissue storage container, and wherein the connecting structure is configured to facilitate release of the preserving agent as a consequence of mating the vessel to the tissue storage container.

18. A system according to claim 15, wherein the vessel is comprised in a lid configured to couple to the tissue collecting device and configured to close the tissue storage container and suspend the collecting unit in the trough.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the lid is configured for attachment to the tissue storage container in such a way that a first attachment action establishes a gas tight coupling of the vessel to the tissue storage container, and a second attachment action facilitates release of the preserving agent, the tissue storage container and the lid being arranged such that the second attachment action cannot occur prior to the first attachment action.

20. A system according to claim 15, wherein the vessel includes a syringe, and wherein the tissue storage container comprises a connecting mechanism for gas-tightly mating the syringe to the tissue storage container.

21. A system according to claim 15, wherein the vessel is adapted to contain the volume of preserving agent in sufficient amount to cover the at least one tissue sample when stored in the tissue storage container.

22. A system according to claim 15, wherein the preserving agent is formalin.

23. A system according to claim 22, comprising a compartment for storing the preserving agent, and wherein the compartment is closed by a liquid and gas tight closure, said closure being releasable when the vessel is mated to the tissue storage container.

24. A system according to claim 22, the vessel being comprised in a lid for closing the tissue storage container.

29. A tissue handling system comprising:

a biopsy device having a housing with a housing cavity, an invasive unit with tissue-receiving components and tissue-severing components configured for harvesting and bringing at least one tissue sample to a point outside the body of a patient during a biopsy procedure;

a tissue collecting device having a collecting unit configured to be mounted in the housing cavity of the biopsy device, the tissue collecting device configured to be brought in detachable operative engagement with the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device to receive the at least one tissue sample, and configured for stepwise rotation about a central axis;

a tissue storage container separate from the biopsy device and configured to removably mount the tissue collecting device after the tissue collecting device is removed from the biopsy device following the biopsy procedure, the tissue storage container having a trough configured to receive therein the collecting unit of the tissue collecting device that contains the at least one tissue sample, and further configured to receive a volume of preserving agent; and

a vessel containing the preserving agent adapted to be coupled to the tissue storage container.

30. The tissue handling system of claim 29, wherein the tissue collecting device includes a plurality of individual tissue chambers, and wherein the tissue collecting device is configured to facilitate sequentially removing, from the tissue-receiving components of the biopsy device, a plurality of individual tissue samples as they are excised from the body of the patient and temporarily store the tissue samples in corresponding individual tissue chambers.