| abstract |
A biopsy device is disclosed having a tubular cannula through which a stylet having a stylet cavity near the distal end is placed. The stylet is attached to a stylet actuator and the cannula is attached to a cannula actuator. Both actuators are constrained by a housing to relative proximal and distal movement. In use, the stylet and stylet cavity are positioned in the cannula. The cannula and stylet are then inserted into the patient's tissue. When a sample is to be taken, the stylet is moved farther into the patient's tissue thereby exposing the stylet cavity. The patient's tissue then falls into the stylet cavity. Thereafter, the cannula actuator moves the cannula forward over the stylet cavity thereby cutting the tissue so that a sample of the tissue remains in the stylet cavity which becomes encased by the cannula as the cannula is moved forward. The stylet is selectively removable from the cannula and the biopsy device through the housing enclosing the biopsy device so that the tissue sample obtained by the biopsy device may be retrieved while the cannula of the biopsy device remains in place within the patient. Thereafter, the stylet may be reinserted through the housing and cannula into the patient's tissue where additional tissue samples may be obtained. The biopsy device also includes an optional hand grip attached to the device for facilitating one hand operation of the biopsy device. |