Tissue Splitting Biopsy Needle

Abstract

Tissue splitting biopsy devices and methods use a needle portion and a sheath portion that are configured such as to allow simultaneous sectioning of a tissue to produce two tissue samples with corresponding surfaces using motion of the needle portion relative to the sheath portion. Most preferably, the needle portion has a chisel blade tip and at least two cavities opposite to each other and at the same distance from the tip, while the sheath portion has a sharpened front edge.

1 . A biopsy device comprising a needle portion and a sheath portion, wherein the needle portion has a closed incising tip and further has two cavities on opposite sides positioned such that at least part of each cavity has the same distance from the tip, and wherein the sheath portion has a sharpened front edge that allows sectioning of respective tissue that is at least partially disposed in the two cavities. 
     
     
         2 . The biopsy device of  claim 1  wherein the closed incising tip is configured as a chisel blade. 
     
     
         3 . The biopsy device of  claim 1  wherein the closed incising tip is configured to have an incising proximal end and a distal end, and wherein the distal end has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the tip in a position between the proximal end and the distal end. 
     
     
         4 . The biopsy device of  claim 1  wherein the tip comprises a slit in longitudinal direction that is configured to accommodate at least portion of a blade. 
     
     
         5 . The biopsy device of  claim 1  wherein at least 70% of the two cavities have the same distance from the tip. 
     
     
         6 . The biopsy device of  claim 1  wherein the two cavities form a contiguous opening through the needle portion. 
     
     
         7 . The biopsy device of  claim 1  wherein the needle portion has at least four cavities on opposite sides. 
     
     
         8 . The biopsy device of  claim 1  wherein the needle portion is further configured to allow application of a partial vacuum to the cavities. 
     
     
         9 . The biopsy device of  claim 1  wherein the sharpened edge of the sheath portion has an inside chamfer. 
     
     
         10 . The biopsy device of  claim 1  wherein the closed incising tip is configured to have an incising proximal end configured as a chisel blade and a distal end, wherein the distal end has a thickness that is less than a thickness of the tip in a position between the proximal end and the distal end, and wherein the sharpened edge of the sheath portion has an inside chamfer that is configured to matingly engage with the distal end. 
     
     
         11 . A biopsy device comprising a needle portion and a sheath portion that are configured and positioned relative to each other to allow simultaneous sectioning of a tissue to produce two tissue samples with corresponding surfaces using a motion of the needle portion relative to the sheath portion. 
     
     
         12 . The biopsy device of  claim 11  wherein the needle portion comprises a closed incising tip that is configured as a chisel blade. 
     
     
         13 . The biopsy device of  claim 11  wherein the needle portion comprises two cavities on opposite sides of the needle portion that are positioned such that at least part of each cavity has the same distance from the tip. 
     
     
         14 . The biopsy device of  claim 11  wherein the needle portion comprises a cavity and wherein the sheath portion comprises a blade, and wherein the sheath portion and the needle portion are configured such that the blade can move along a longitudinal axis of the cavity as the sheath portion is moved relative to the needle portion. 
     
     
         15 . A method of facilitating or performing a biopsy, comprising:
 providing a biopsy device that includes a needle portion and a sheath portion;   wherein the needle portion and the sheath portion are configured to allow simultaneous sectioning of a tissue to produce two tissue samples with corresponding surfaces using motion of the needle portion relative to the sheath portion; and   instructing a user to advance the biopsy device to a target area and to move the needle portion in the target area relative to the sheath portion to so produce the two tissue samples.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the needle portion comprises a closed incising tip that is configured as a chisel blade. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the needle portion comprises two cavities on opposite sides of the needle portion that are positioned such that at least part of each cavity has the same distance from the tip. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the needle portion is configured to allow application of a partial vacuum to at least one cavity in the needle portion. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein moving the sheath portion comprises a rotational and a transverse movement of the sheath portion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein moving the needle portion relative to the sheath portion is performed using an automated mechanism that is coupled to the needle portion and the sheath portion. 
     
     
         21 . A post-biopsy splitting device comprising:
 a sheath having a first opening in a side wall, wherein the opening is configured to allow insertion of a blade such that the blade can be positioned within a lumen in the sheath to allow splitting of a biopsy core in the lumen;   wherein the sheath is configured to allow slidingly moving the sheath over at least part of a needle.   
     
     
         22 . The post-biopsy splitting device of  claim 21  wherein the blade is coupled to an exterior surface of the side wall via a flexible element that is configured to allow moving the blade into and out of the lumen. 
     
     
         23 . The post-biopsy splitting device of  claim 21  wherein the sheath comprises a second opening in the side wall that is configured to allow removal of the split biopsy core from the lumen, and further comprising a third opening positioned such that suction applied to the third opening allows movement of the biopsy core across the blade in the lumen.