Biopsy needle system having a pressure generating unit

• US 8,728,004 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2012
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Heske, Norbert, Heske, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US13/445,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20120203135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 600562-567
• US Class Current: 600/566
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0208 Biopsy devices with actuators, e.g. with triggered spring mechanisms

Abstract

A biopsy needle system includes a cylinder with a fluid connection end, an open end and a cylinder wall. A piston is coupled to a threaded spindle shaft. The threaded spindle shaft is configured to extend from the piston and through the open end of the cylinder. The piston is inserted in the open end such that a cylinder interior volume is defined between the piston and the fluid connection end. A spindle nut is mounted to the open end of the cylinder. The spindle nut is threadably engaged with the threaded spindle shaft and configured to displace the piston via a linear translation of the threaded spindle shaft when the spindle nut is rotated. A biopsy needle is connected in fluid communication with the fluid connection end of the cylinder.

Claims

1. A biopsy needle system, comprising:

a cylinder with a fluid connection end, an open end and a cylinder wall;

a threaded spindle shaft;

a piston coupled to the threaded spindle shaft, the threaded spindle shaft being configured to extend from the piston and through the open end of the cylinder, the piston being inserted in the open end such that a cylinder interior volume is defined between the piston and the fluid connection end;

a spindle nut mounted to the open end of the cylinder, the spindle nut being threadably engaged with the threaded spindle shaft and configured to displace the piston via a linear translation of the threaded spindle shaft when the spindle nut is rotated; and

a biopsy needle connected in fluid communication with the fluid connection end of the cylinder.

2. The biopsy needle system of claim 1, wherein the piston is displaced in a first direction within the cylinder to generate a negative pressure in the biopsy needle, and the piston is displaced within the cylinder in a second direction opposite to the first direction to generate a positive pressure in the biopsy needle.

3. The biopsy needle system of claim 1, further comprising an absorbent element positioned around threaded spindle shaft and adjacent the piston, the absorbent element being configured to engage the cylinder wall.

4. The biopsy needle system of claim 1, further comprising a ventilation groove established in an interior of the cylinder wall only to a depth of a portion of a thickness of the cylinder wall, the ventilation groove being configured to provide a fluid bypass of the piston in a portion of a longitudinal extent of the cylinder wall.

5. The biopsy needle system of claim 4, further comprising an absorbent element adjacent the piston, the absorbent element being configured to engage the ventilation groove.

6. The biopsy needle system of claim 5, wherein the absorbent element is configured to engage an interior of the cylinder wall.

7. A disposable biopsy needle assembly, comprising:

a cylinder;

a piston positioned in the cylinder for movement within the cylinder;

a threaded spindle shaft coupled to the piston;

a spindle nut mounted to the cylinder, the spindle nut being threadably engaged with the threaded spindle shaft and configured to displace the piston via a linear translation of the threaded spindle shaft when the spindle nut is rotated; and

a biopsy needle coupled in fluid communication with the cylinder, wherein one of a vacuum and an overpressure is communicated to the biopsy needle when the piston is displaced in the cylinder.

8. The disposable biopsy needle assembly of claim 7, wherein the cylinder, the piston, the threaded spindle shaft, and the spindle nut are assembled as a syringe pump assembly, the syringe pump assembly being connected in fluid communication with the biopsy needle.

9. The disposable biopsy needle assembly of claim 7, wherein the cylinder has a cylinder floor, and wherein a cylinder interior volume is defined between the piston and the cylinder floor, and further comprising an absorbent element carried by the piston on an opposite side of the piston from the interior volume.

10. The disposable biopsy needle assembly of claim 7, wherein the cylinder has a cylinder wall, a cylinder floor and an open end, and further comprising a ventilation groove formed in the interior of the cylinder wall only to a depth of a portion of a thickness of the cylinder wall, the ventilation groove extending toward the open end of the cylinder, the ventilation groove being configured to provide an airflow bypass of the piston as the piston passes over the ventilation groove.

11. The disposable biopsy needle assembly of claim 10, wherein a cylinder interior volume is defined between the piston and the cylinder floor, and wherein the cylinder interior volume of the cylinder communicates with the ambient atmosphere when the piston is displaced to a position in the cylinder so as to establish the airflow bypass of the piston via the ventilation groove.

12. The disposable biopsy needle assembly of claim 7, wherein the cylinder has a cylinder wall, a cylinder floor and an open end, and wherein a cylinder interior volume is defined between the piston and the cylinder floor, and further comprising a ventilation groove formed in an interior of the cylinder wall, the ventilation groove being configured to selectively facilitate fluid communication between the cylinder interior volume and the ambient atmosphere.

13. The disposable biopsy needle assembly of claim 7, wherein the piston is displaced in a first direction within the cylinder to generate the vacuum in the biopsy needle, and the piston is displaced within the cylinder in a second direction opposite to the first direction to generate the overpressure in the biopsy needle.

14. The disposable biopsy needle assembly of claim 7, wherein the spindle nut is a wheel mounted on an open end of the cylinder, the wheel having teeth positioned around a circumference of the wheel, the wheel being configured for driving engagement with a biopsy motorized drive of a biopsy apparatus when the disposable biopsy needle assembly is installed in the biopsy apparatus.

15. A biopsy apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a biopsy needle unit positioned in the housing;

a connecting tube; and

a syringe-type pressure generating unit having a cylinder, and wherein the cylinder is positioned in parallel with the biopsy needle unit in the housing, the syringe-type pressure generating unit being coupled in fluid communication with the biopsy needle unit via the connecting tube.

16. The biopsy apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

an electro-gear motor drive; and

wherein the syringe-type pressure generating unit further includes;

a piston positioned in the cylinder for movement within the cylinder;

a threaded spindle shaft coupled to the piston; and

a spindle nut mounted to the cylinder, the spindle nut being threadably engaged with the threaded spindle shaft and drivably engaged with the electro-gear motor drive, the spindle nut being configured to displace the piston via a linear translation of the threaded spindle shaft when the spindle nut is rotated by the electro-gear motor drive.

17. The biopsy apparatus of claim 15, wherein biopsy needle unit, the connecting tube and the syringe-type pressure generating unit are configured as a unitary disposable biopsy needle assembly, the unitary disposable biopsy needle assembly being configured to be received as a unit in the housing.

18. The biopsy apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

an electro-gear motor drive mounted to the housing; and

wherein the syringe-type pressure generating unit further includes;

a piston positioned in the cylinder for movement within the cylinder;

a threaded spindle shaft coupled to the piston; and

a spindle nut mounted to the cylinder, the spindle nut being threadably engaged with the threaded spindle shaft and drivably engaged with the electro-gear motor drive, the spindle nut being configured to displace the piston via a linear translation of the threaded spindle shaft when the spindle nut is rotated by the electro-gear motor drive.

19. The biopsy apparatus of claim 18, wherein the piston is displaced in a first direction within the cylinder to generate a negative pressure in the biopsy needle unit to aid in tissue sample harvesting, and the piston is displaced within the cylinder in a second direction opposite to the first direction to generate a positive pressure in the biopsy needle unit to aid in tissue sample ejection from the biopsy needle unit.