Disposable biopsy unit

• US 9,421,002 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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): Cohen, Lee S
• Assistant Examiner(s): LLOYD, EMILY M
• Application Number:
  US14/729,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20150342579A1
• Time in Patent Office: 447 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0233 Pointed or sharp biopsy instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0275 with sample notch, e.g. on the side of inner stylet
• 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 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0208 Biopsy devices with actuators, e.g. with triggered spring mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00911 for fields applied by a magnetic resonance imaging system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00924 for ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/065 Guide needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/1055 Rotating or swivel joints in general F16L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/12 for joining a flexible tube to a rigid attachment
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/08 involving an extracting tool, e.g. core bit

Abstract

A method for operating a biopsy device for taking tissue samples includes coupling an electric power source to a tension slide via a removable biopsy needle unit, the removable biopsy needle unit including a biopsy needle and a cutting sheath coaxially arranged with the biopsy needle, the biopsy needle having a sample removal chamber; rotating the cutting sheath via the electric power source to move the tension slide against an action of a spring; locking the tension slide in a cocked position by a releasable locking mechanism; and releasing the releasable locking mechanism when the tension slide is in the cocked position such that the tension slide is moved by the spring away from the cocked position to move the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath in a distal direction.

Claims

1. A method for operating a biopsy device for taking tissue samples, comprising:

coupling an electric power source to a tension slide via a removable biopsy needle unit, the removable biopsy needle unit including a biopsy needle and a cutting sheath coaxially arranged with the biopsy needle on a longitudinal axis, the biopsy needle having a sample removal chamber;

rotating the cutting sheath via the electric power source to move the tension slide against an action of a spring;

locking the tension slide in a cocked position by a releasable locking mechanism; and

releasing the releasable locking mechanism when the tension slide is in the cocked position such that the tension slide is moved by the spring away from the cocked position to move the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath in a distal direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to insertion of the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath into a patient, the method comprising placing a spacing piece onto the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath to set a depth of penetration of the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath, wherein the depth of penetration is reduced by increasing the length of the spacing piece.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the removable biopsy needle unit includes a carrier for rotatably mounting the cutting sheath, and wherein the act of rotating the cutting sheath via the electric power source causes both longitudinal movement and rotational movement of the cutting sheath relative to the carrier and the biopsy needle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the removable biopsy needle unit includes a carrier configured to mount the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath, the method further comprising moving the cutting sheath along the longitudinal axis relative to the biopsy needle to open the sample removal chamber.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing a pump having an elongate cylinder and a plunger, the pump being in fluid communication with the sample removal chamber;

moving the cutting sheath along the longitudinal axis relative to the biopsy needle to open the sample removal chamber; and

moving the plunger inside the elongate cylinder in a direction from a proximal end of the elongate cylinder to a distal end of the elongate cylinder to generate a vacuum at the sample removal chamber.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising:

operating the removable biopsy needle unit to collect a tissue sample in the sample removal chamber; and

operating a pump to build up pressure at the sample removal chamber to facilitate ejection of the tissue sample from the sample removal chamber.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

operating the removable biopsy needle unit to collect a tissue sample in the sample removal chamber;

operating a pump to build up pressure in the sample removal chamber; and

moving the cutting sheath in a proximal direction across the sample removal chamber to release the pressure to eject the collected tissue sample from the sample removal chamber.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

providing a pump having an elongate cylinder and a plunger, the pump being in fluid communication with the sample removal chamber;

moving the plunger inside the elongate cylinder in a first direction to generate a vacuum at the sample removal chamber; and

moving the plunger inside the elongate cylinder in a second direction opposite the first direction to build up pressure at the sample removal chamber.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising:

selecting a rotational position of the sample removal chamber about the longitudinal axis;

manually rotating the biopsy needle to position the sample removal chamber at the selected rotational position; and

locking the biopsy needle in the selected rotational position.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the removable biopsy needle unit includes a carrier for mounting the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath, and a plastic part having a polygonal portion is mounted to a proximal end of the biopsy needle, the act of locking comprising an interaction between the polygonal portion and the carrier during a rotation of the biopsy needle to lock the biopsy needle in the selected rotational position.

11. A method for operating a biopsy device for taking tissue samples, comprising:

inserting a removable biopsy needle unit into a driver housing, the removable biopsy needle unit including a biopsy needle and a cutting sheath coaxially arranged with the biopsy needle on a longitudinal axis, the biopsy needle having a sample removal chamber;

rotating the cutting sheath via an electric power source to move a tension slide in the driver housing against an action of a spring;

locking the tension slide in a cocked position by a releasable locking mechanism; and

releasing the releasable locking mechanism when the tension slide is in the cocked position such that the tension slide is moved by the spring away from the cocked position to move the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath in a distal direction.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein prior to insertion of the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath into a patient, the method comprising placing a spacing piece onto the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath to set a depth of penetration of the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath, wherein the depth of penetration is reduced by increasing the length of the spacing piece.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the removable biopsy needle unit includes a carrier for rotatably mounting the cutting sheath, and wherein the act of rotating the cutting sheath via the electric power source causes both longitudinal movement and rotational movement of the cutting sheath relative to the carrier and the biopsy needle.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the removable biopsy needle unit includes a carrier configured to mount the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath, the method further comprising moving the cutting sheath along the longitudinal axis relative to the biopsy needle to open the sample removal chamber.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising:

providing a pump having an elongate cylinder and a plunger, the pump being in fluid communication with the sample removal chamber;

moving the cutting sheath along the longitudinal axis relative to the biopsy needle to open the sample removal chamber; and

moving the plunger inside the elongate cylinder in a direction from a proximal end of the elongate cylinder to a distal end of the elongate cylinder to generate a vacuum at the sample removal chamber.

16. The method of claim 11, comprising:

operating the removable biopsy needle unit to collect a tissue sample in the sample removal chamber; and

operating a pump to build up pressure at the sample removal chamber to facilitate ejection of the tissue sample from the sample removal chamber.

17. The method of claim 11, comprising:

operating the removable biopsy needle unit to collect a tissue sample in the sample removal chamber;

operating a pump to build up pressure in the sample removal chamber; and

moving the cutting sheath in a proximal direction across the sample removal chamber to release the pressure to eject the collected tissue sample from the sample removal chamber.

18. The method of claim 11, comprising:

providing a pump having an elongate cylinder and a plunger, the pump being in fluid communication with the sample removal chamber;

moving the plunger inside the elongate cylinder in a first direction to generate a vacuum at the sample removal chamber; and

moving the plunger inside the elongate cylinder in a second direction opposite the first direction to build up pressure at the sample removal chamber.

19. The method of claim 11, comprising:

selecting a rotational position of the sample removal chamber about the longitudinal axis;

manually rotating the biopsy needle to position the sample removal chamber at the selected rotational position; and

locking the biopsy needle in the selected rotational position.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the removable biopsy needle unit includes a carrier for mounting the biopsy needle and the cutting sheath, and a plastic part having a polygonal portion is mounted to a proximal end of the biopsy needle, the act of locking comprising an interaction between the polygonal portion and the carrier during a rotation of the biopsy needle to lock the biopsy needle in the selected rotational position.