Methods and devices for collection of soft tissue

Patent 5810806 Issued on September 22, 1998. Estimated Expiration Date:

August 29, 2016. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

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Inventors

Assignee

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.

Application

No. 705622 filed on 08/29/1996

US Classes:

606/45, Cutting604/21, With tubular injection means inserted into body606/41, Applicators606/46Endoscopic

Examiners

Primary: Peffley, Michael

International Class

A61B 017/39

Abstract

This invention provides an inventive tissue sampling probe which offers many advantages over probes available in the prior art. Unexpectedly superior results are obtained in connection with the retrieval of intact tissue specimens, because of a unique combination of cutting features, including, for example, the employment of an electrosurgical cutting element and a vacuum assist in one preferred embodiment. A particularly important feature of the invention is the ability to manipulate the electrosurgical cutting element to cleanly sever the distal end of the tissue specimen. In certain embodiments, this is accomplished without any cutting impact on surrounding tissue. The versatility of the invention permits its use in many applications, including, for example, breast biopsies, laparoscopic surgery, and lymphadenectomy procedures.

Other References

Surgical resection and radiolocalization of the sentinel lymph node in breast cancer using a gamma probe; Krag et a. -- Surgical Oncology 1993; 2; 335-340
"Techniques of laparoscopic morcellation of the spleen" M.J. Legrand et al.; Minimally Invasive Therapy & Applied Technology 1996: vol. 5: No. 2; pp. 143-14