Core biopsy device

Abstract

A biopsy apparatus comprises an outer cannula with a resilient excising finger and an inner cannula received within the outer cannula. The excising finger is flexible to extend toward the longitudinal axis of the outer cannula. The outer cannula can be rotated relative to the inner cannula so that the excising finger can excise a biopsy sample from a surrounding tissue mass. The inner cannula can be provided with a spoon portion for supporting the biopsy sample.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A biopsy apparatus for the percutaneous removal of a specimen from a tissue mass, the biopsy apparatus comprising:
 a cannula assembly comprising:
 an outer cannula defining a lumen and a longitudinal axis, the outer cannula having a proximal end and a distal end, with a cutting tip located at the distal end; 
 a resilient excising finger extending from the cutting tip and flexible between a first position generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the outer cannula and a second position toward the longitudinal axis of the outer cannula; and 
 an inner cannula received within the lumen, the inner cannula defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end; and 
   an actuator coupled to the cannula assembly and operable between:
 a first condition to axially advance the outer and inner cannulae, while the excising finger is held in the first position by the inner cannula, to at least partially form a core specimen having a portion still attached to the tissue mass; 
 a second condition to extend the excising finger beyond the distal end of the inner cannula to the second position; and 
 a third condition to rotate the excising finger to sever the portion of the core specimen from the tissue mass. 
   
     
     
         2 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the actuator is operable in the second condition to axially extend the excising finger relative to the inner cannula. 
     
     
         3 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the shape of the excising finger is at least one of arcuate, rectilinear, and trapezoidal. 
     
     
         4 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the cannulae assembly further comprises a stylet received within the inner cannula to substantially close off the inner cannula during insertion of the biopsy apparatus into the tissue mass. 
     
     
         5 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator further comprises a dual trigger to trigger movement of the cannula assembly, wherein the dual trigger comprises a first trigger located at a first portion of the actuator and a second trigger located at a second portion of the actuator. 
     
     
         6 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the actuator further comprises:
 a lever pivotally movable between a first, open position and a second, closed position, where the lever is spring-biased to the open position; and 
 a latch movable between a first latch position that prevents the lever from moving from the closed position to the open position and a second latch position that permits the lever to move from the closed position to the open position. 
 
     
     
         7 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the excising finger is of a sufficient length that it extends at least to the longitudinal axis of the outer cannula in the second position. 
     
     
         8 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the actuator is operable in the first condition to simultaneously axially advance the outer and inner cannulae to form the core specimen attached to the tissue mass. 
     
     
         9 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the actuator is operable in the first condition to sequentially axially advance the outer and inner cannulae to form the core specimen attached to the tissue mass. 
     
     
         10 . A biopsy apparatus for the percutaneous removal of a specimen from a tissue mass, the biopsy apparatus comprising:
 a cannula assembly comprising:
 an outer cannula defining a lumen and a longitudinal axis, the outer cannula having a proximal end and a distal end, with a cutting tip located at the distal end; 
 a resilient excising finger extending from the cutting tip and flexible between a first position generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the outer cannula and a second position toward the longitudinal axis of the outer cannula; and 
 an inner cannula received within the lumen, the inner cannula defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end, a distal end, and an open-ended spoon portion that terminates at the distal end; and 
   an actuator coupled to the cannula assembly and operable between:
 a first condition to axially advance the outer and inner cannulae, while the excising finger is held in the first position by the inner cannula, to at least partially form a core specimen having a portion still attached to the tissue mass; 
 a second condition to extend the excising finger beyond the distal end of the inner cannula to the second position; 
 a third condition to rotate the excising finger to sever the portion of the core specimen from the tissue mass, whereby the core specimen is supported on the spoon portion; and 
 a fourth condition to extend the spoon portion through the cutting tip to expose the core specimen supported on the spoon portion and permit the removal of the core specimen from the spoon portion. 
   
     
     
         11 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the spoon portion comprises an arcuate cross section. 
     
     
         12 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the spoon portion terminates in a sharpened edge. 
     
     
         13 . A biopsy apparatus for the percutaneous removal of a specimen form a tissue mass, the biopsy apparatus comprising:
 an outer cannula defining a lumen and a longitudinal axis, the outer cannula having a proximal end and a distal end defining a cutting tip;   an inner cannula received within the lumen of the outer cannula and having a proximal end, the inner cannula having an open-tipped spoon portion that terminates at the distal end; and   an excising finger extending from the distal end of the outer cannula, wherein the excising finger is adapted for resilient flexure alternately between a first position generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the inner cannula and a second position toward the longitudinal axis of the inner cannula;   wherein the outer cannula and inner cannula are operably configured such that upon the performance of a biopsy, the specimen is received within the lumen and supported on the spoon portion, and relatively moving the cannulae extends the spoon portion through the cutting tip to expose the specimen supported on the spoon portion and permit the removal of the specimen from the spoon portion.   
     
     
         14 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the excising finger is of a sufficient length that it extends at least to the longitudinal axis when in the second position. 
     
     
         15 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 13 , further comprising an actuator operably coupled to the outer and inner cannulae to axially move the outer cannula relative to the inner cannula from an inserting position to an excising position where the excising finger extends towards a longitudinal axis of the inner cannula and a sample is received within the outer cannula, and to rotate the outer cannula about the longitudinal axis of the outer cannula when the outer cannula is in the excising position to sever the sample from the tissue mass. 
     
     
         16 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the actuator simultaneously moves the outer and inner cannulae. 
     
     
         17 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the actuator sequentially moves the outer and inner cannulae. 
     
     
         18 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the spoon portion comprises an arcuate cross section. 
     
     
         19 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein the spoon portion terminates in a sharpened edge. 
     
     
         20 . The biopsy apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the distal end of the outer cannula terminates in an open-tipped spoon portion for supporting a specimen.