Biopsy device with central thumbwheel

Abstract

A biopsy device comprises a probe and a holster. The probe has a distally extending needle including a transverse tissue receiving aperture. A cutter is translatable relative to the needle to sever tissue protruding through the aperture. A thumbwheel is manually operable to rotate the needle to reorient the angular position of the aperture about the longitudinal axis defined by the needle. The thumbwheel is positioned obliquely with the longitudinal axis. A cable driven mechanism in the holster drives the cutter. A rotatable tissue sample holder is coupled with the probe, and has chambers configured to receive tissue samples communicated proximally through a lumen defined by the cutter. A piezoelectric motor in the holster drives the tissue sample holder.

1 . A biopsy device, comprising:
 (a) a probe, wherein the probe comprises:
 (i) a body portion, and 
 (ii) a needle extending distally from the body portion, wherein the needle defines a longitudinal axis and a transverse tissue receiving feature; and 
   (b) a holster removably coupled with the body portion of the probe; and   (c) at least one rotatable thumbwheel, wherein the at least one thumbwheel extends outwardly at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the thumbwheel is coupled with the needle, wherein the thumbwheel is manually operable to rotate the needle about the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         2 . The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the thumbwheel extends generally proximally at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         3 . The biopsy device of  claim 2 , wherein the thumbwheel extends from the holster. 
     
     
         4 . The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the thumbwheel comprises at least one gripping feature around a periphery of the thumbwheel. 
     
     
         5 . The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the probe further comprises a cutter rotatably and translatably moveable within the needle to sever tissue drawn into the tissue receiving feature, wherein the cutter defines a cutter lumen. 
     
     
         6 . The biopsy device of  claim 5 , wherein a vacuum source is in communication with the cutter lumen. 
     
     
         7 . The biopsy device of  claim 5 , further comprising a tissue sample holder, wherein the tissue sample holder is rotatable relative to the body portion, wherein the tissue sample holder is configured to receive tissue samples communicated through the cutter lumen. 
     
     
         8 . The biopsy device of  claim 7 , wherein the tissue sample holder defines a plurality of tissue sample chambers, wherein the tissue sample holder is rotatable to successively index each of the tissue sample chambers to the cutter lumen. 
     
     
         9 . The biopsy device of  claim 8 , wherein the thumbwheel is coupled to the tissue sample holder, wherein the thumbwheel is manually operable to rotate the tissue sample holder. 
     
     
         10 . The biopsy device of  claim 9 , wherein rotation of the thumbwheel is configured to index the next adjacent tissue sample chamber to the cutter lumen. 
     
     
         11 . The biopsy device of  claim 8 , wherein rotation of the tissue receiving feature of the needle is configured to directly correlate to rotation of the tissue sample holder. 
     
     
         12 . The biopsy device of  claim 11 , wherein the tissue receiving feature of the needle is configured to rotate at substantially the same rotational angle as the tissue sample holder. 
     
     
         13 . The biopsy device of  claim 1 , further comprising an indicator operable to indicate the rotational orientation of the needle about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         14 . The biopsy device of  claim 13 , wherein the thumbwheel is manually operable to rotate the indicator. 
     
     
         15 . The biopsy device of  claim 1 , wherein the holster comprises two thumbwheels extending outwardly at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein each thumbwheel is coupled to the needle, wherein each thumbwheel is independently manually operable to rotate the needle about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         16 . The biopsy device of  claim 15 , wherein one of the thumbwheels is located on a left side of the holster and wherein the other thumbwheel is located on a right side of the holster. 
     
     
         17 . The biopsy device of  claim 15 , further comprising a tissue sample holder, wherein the tissue sample holder is rotatable relative to the body portion, wherein each thumbwheel is independently manually operable to rotate the tissue sample holder relative to the body portion. 
     
     
         18 . The biopsy device of  claim 15 , further comprising a tissue sample holder, wherein the tissue sample holder is rotatable relative to the body portion, wherein one thumbwheel is manually operable to rotate the needle about the longitudinal axis, and wherein the other thumbwheel is manually operable to rotate the tissue sample holder relative to the body portion. 
     
     
         19 . A biopsy device, comprising:
 (a) a probe, wherein the probe comprises:
 (i) a body portion, and 
 (ii) a needle extending distally from the body portion, wherein the needle defines a longitudinal axis and a transverse tissue receiving feature; 
   (b) a holster removably coupled with the body portion of the probe;   (c) a tissue sample holder, wherein the tissue sample holder is rotatable relative to the body portion of the probe; and   (d) a rotatable thumbwheel protruding outwardly at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the thumbwheel is coupled with one or both of the needle or the tissue sample holder, wherein the thumbwheel is manually operable to one or both of rotate the needle about the longitudinal axis or rotate the tissue sample holder relative to the body portion of the probe.   
     
     
         20 . A biopsy device, comprising:
 (a) a probe, wherein the probe comprises:
 (i) a body portion, and 
 (ii) a needle extending distally from the body portion, wherein the needle defines a longitudinal axis and a transverse tissue receiving feature; 
   (b) a holster removably coupled with the body portion of the probe;   (c) a tissue sample holder, wherein the tissue sample holder is rotatable relative to the body portion of the probe; and   (d) two rotatable thumbwheels, wherein each of the two rotatable thumbwheels extends proximally at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein each of the two thumbwheels is coupled with one or both of the needle or the tissue sample holder, wherein each of the two thumbwheels is manually operable to one or both of rotate the needle about the longitudinal axis or rotate the tissue sample holder relative to the body portion of the probe.