Tissue harvesting, mincing, and transport device

Abstract

A device comprises a needle, probe, holster, and tissue collection chamber. A motor simultaneously powers a vacuum pump, translates and rotates a cutter, and translates a plunger. The needle includes a piercing tip and an interior shelf that divides the needle into a cutter lumen and lateral lumen. The cutter and shelf include apertures configured to mince a portion of a tissue specimen that has been severed by the cutter and forced through the apertures by compressive force from the plunger as well as vacuum force. The apertures of the shelf and the apertures of the rotating cutter cooperate to shear the tissue being compressed by the plunger. The minced tissue is then transported to the tissue collection chamber under vacuum force with the assistance of a fluid flush. Collected minced tissue may then be further processed as desired for a given medical treatment or procedure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for obtaining and preparing biological components for use in a medical application, the device comprising:
 (a) a cannula;   (b) a divider located within the cannula;   (c) a cutter, wherein the cutter is operably configured to translate within a portion of the cannula, wherein the cutter is operably configured to sever a tissue specimen received within the cannula;   (d) a first plurality of apertures, wherein the first plurality of apertures are positioned within the cannula, wherein the first plurality of apertures are proximate to the severed tissue specimen received within the cannula; and   (e) a second plurality of apertures, wherein the second plurality of apertures are positioned within the cannula, wherein at least a portion of the second plurality of apertures are adjacent at least a portion of the first plurality of apertures, wherein one of the first and second plurality of apertures are operably configured to rotate relative to the other of the first and second plurality of apertures and relative to the severed tissue specimen located within the cannula to shear pieces off of the severed tissue specimen when the severed tissue specimen passes through the divider.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a plunger, wherein the plunger is operably configured to translate within the cutter, wherein the plunger is operably configured to compress the tissue specimen severed by the cutter to thereby urge portions of the tissue specimen into the first and second plurality of apertures. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , further comprising a pump, a cutter drive, and a plunger drive. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , further comprising a motor, wherein the motor is operably configured to operate the pump, the cutter drive, and the plunger drive. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the cutter and plunger are operably configured to translate simultaneously at different rates. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the cutter is operably configured to rotate. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the first plurality of apertures are formed in the divider, and wherein the second plurality of apertures are formed in the cutter. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a handpiece, wherein the cannula extends from the handpiece. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the handpiece comprises a probe portion coupled to a holster portion. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising a tissue collection chamber, wherein the tissue collection chamber is coupled to the probe portion. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the cannula defines a lateral lumen, wherein the lateral lumen is in communication with the tissue collection chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the tissue collection chamber comprises a tissue collection basket and an end cap, wherein end cap is detachable from the tissue collection chamber and operably configured to remove the tissue collection basket. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1  further comprising a piercing tip at a distal end of the cannula. 
     
     
         14 . A device for obtaining and preparing biological components for use in a medical application, the device comprising:
 (a) a handpiece;   (b) a cannula extending from the handpiece, wherein the cannula comprises a side aperture configured to receive a tissue specimen;   (b) a cutter, wherein the cutter is positionable within the cannula, wherein the cutter is operably configured to translate within cannula;   (c) a plunger, wherein the plunger is positionable within the cutter, wherein the plunger is operably configured to translate within the cutter, wherein the plunger has a closed distal end;   (d) a vacuum pump, wherein the vacuum pump is operably configured to provide vacuum to the cannula; and   (e) a motor positioned within the handpiece, wherein the motor is operably configured to:
 (i) translate the cutter, 
 (ii) rotate the cutter, 
 (iii) operate a vacuum pump, and 
 (iv) translate the plunger. 
   
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the motor is operable to translate the cutter at a first rate of translation, wherein the motor is further operable to translate the plunger at a second rate of translation while simultaneously translating the cutter at the first rate of translation, wherein the first rate of translation is greater than the second rate of translation. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the vacuum pump is operable to prolapse tissue within the side aperture of the cannula. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the cutter is operable to sever tissue prolapsed into the side aperture. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the cannula comprises a divider, wherein the divider comprises a plurality of apertures adjacent to the side aperture of the cannula. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the plunger is operable to translate a tissue specimen through the plurality of apertures of the divider. 
     
     
         20 . A method of operating a device, the device comprising a cannula, a divider located within the cannula, a cutter operably configured to translate within a portion of the cannula, a first plurality of apertures positioned within the cannula, and a second plurality of apertures positioned within the cannula, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) translating the cutter to sever a tissue specimen within the cannula;   (b) rotating one of the first and second plurality of apertures relative to the other of the first and second plurality of apertures; and   (c) translating the plunger to drive the tissue specimen through the first and second plurality of apertures to shear pieces off of the tissue specimen while the one of the first and second plurality of apertures is rotating relative to the other of the first and second plurality of apertures.