Abstract: A biopsy needle for collecting a tissue specimen includes a handle including a handle body that defines a hollow interior that includes a hollow inner housing member and a cannula assembly including an inner cannula, an outer cannula and a snarecoil coil at a distal end that is attached to the outer cannula. The biopsy needle also includes a first biasing element that is coupled to the cannula assembly and is configured to apply a force thereto when stored energy of the first biasing element is released to cause forward projection of the cannula assembly. A first mechanism of the needle has a first component associated with a proximal end of the inner cannula that is received within the inner housing member and a second component associated with the inner housing to cause controlled rotation of the inner cannula relative to the outer cannula after the cannula assembly is projected a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for collecting a tissue specimen includes a handle including a handle body that defines a hollow interior that includes a hollow inner housing member and a cannula assembly including an inner cannula, an outer cannula and a snarecoil coil at a distal end that is attached to the outer cannula. The biopsy needle also includes a first biasing element that is coupled to the cannula assembly and is configured to apply a force thereto when stored energy of the first biasing element is released to cause forward projection of the cannula assembly. A first mechanism of the needle has a first component associated with a proximal end of the inner cannula that is received within the inner housing member and a second component associated with the inner housing to cause controlled rotation of the inner cannula relative to the outer cannula after the cannula assembly is projected a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A retrieval device for collecting a specimen includes an outer cannula member having an inner lumen and an inner member received within the inner lumen such that the inner member can rotate relative to the outer cannula. The device also includes first and second snarecoil elements that are formed as part of the inner member. Each snarecoil element has an arcuate shape and is attached to an inner surface of the outer cannula. The snarecoil elements being deformable such that rotation of the inner member relative to the outer catheter results in the snarecoil elements collapsing toward a center of the outer cannula member resulting in either the tissue specimen being captured between the two snarecoil elements in one embodiment or being sheared by the two snarecoil elements in another embodiment.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for collecting a tissue specimen includes a handle including a handle body that defines a hollow interior that includes a hollow inner housing member and a cannula assembly including an inner cannula, an outer cannula and a snarecoil coil at a distal end that is attached to the outer cannula. The biopsy needle also includes a first biasing element that is coupled to the cannula assembly and is configured to apply a force thereto when stored energy of the first biasing element is released to cause forward projection of the cannula assembly. A first mechanism of the needle has a first component associated with a proximal end of the inner cannula that is received within the inner housing member and a second component associated with the inner housing to cause controlled rotation of the inner cannula relative to the outer cannula after the cannula assembly is projected a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for collecting a tissue specimen includes a housing; an outer cannula that is at least partially received within the housing; and an inner tube received within the outer cannula and is configured to receive a stylet. The needle also includes a snare coil that is formed as part of the inner tube and is coupled to the outer cannula. The needle has a first actuation stage and a second actuation stage that is automatically activated as a result of activation of the first actuation stage. During the first actuation stage, a first mechanism contained at least partially within the housing is actuated to longitudinally and axially advance both the outer cannula and the inner tube as well as causing the outer cannula and the inner tube to simultaneously rotate in unison as the two are longitudinally advanced.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for collecting a tissue specimen includes a handle including a handle body that defines a hollow interior that includes a hollow inner housing member and a cannula assembly including an inner cannula, an outer cannula and a snarecoil coil at a distal end that is attached to the outer cannula. The biopsy needle also includes a first biasing element that is coupled to the cannula assembly and is configured to apply a force thereto when stored energy of the first biasing element is released to cause forward projection of the cannula assembly. A first mechanism of the needle has a first component associated with a proximal end of the inner cannula that is received within the inner housing member and a second component associated with the inner housing to cause controlled rotation of the inner cannula relative to the outer cannula after the cannula assembly is projected a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A retrieval device for collecting a specimen includes an outer cannula member having an inner lumen and an inner member received within the inner lumen such that the inner member can rotate relative to the outer cannula. The device also includes first and second snarecoil elements that are formed as part of the inner member. Each snarecoil element has an arcuate shape and is attached to an inner surface of the outer cannula. The snarecoil elements being deformable such that rotation of the inner member relative to the outer catheter results in the snarecoil elements collapsing toward a center of the outer cannula member resulting in either the tissue specimen being captured between the two snarecoil elements in one embodiment or being sheared by the two snarecoil elements in another embodiment.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for removal of tissue from a patient including an outer tube; an inner tube within the outer tube; and a snare connected to the inner tube and to the outer tube. The outer tube has an outer surface that has a first region that terminates in the distal end and is the distalmost section of the outer tube and a second region adjacent the first region. The first region represents a tip transition region and has a frustoconical shape that is defined by an outer surface area (A) and is defined by a cross-sectional area (Ba) at the interface between the first and second regions in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the needle, the interface representing a base of the frustoconical first region, wherein a ratio R=(A)/(Ba) is approximately 1 for a predetermined needle type, such as an 8 gauge needle.

Abstract: A system for controlled delivery of a predetermined volume of an additive (e.g., a liquid, solid, etc.) to a vacuum sealed container is provided and includes a delivery device that includes a housing having a chamber defined therein for holding the predetermined volume of additive and a piston or the like that is axially moveable within the chamber. The system includes a connector that is detachably connected to or formed as integral part of the delivery device. The connector has a hollow piercing element for piercing through a stopper of the vacuum sealed container.

Abstract: A retrieval device for retrieving and capturing a foreign body specimen, such as a tissue specimen or a foreign material specimen, according to one exemplary embodiment includes an outer cannula member having an inner lumen and an inner member received within the inner lumen such that the inner member can rotate relative to the outer cannula. The inner member has a distal end that extends beyond a distal end of the outer cannula. The device also includes a first snare coil having a first end and an opposing second end. The first end of the snare coil is attached to an outer surface of the outer cannula and the second end of the snare coil is attached to the inner member to allow the snare coil to be actuated by rotating the inner member relative to the outer cannula so as to either open or close the snare coil for collecting the specimen.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a biopsy needle that is particularly suited for shearing and collecting soft tissue specimens is provided and is formed of an inner tube with a snare at a distal end thereof, an outer cannula, a stylet and a handle assembly. In one aspect of the present invention, the handle assembly includes a spring loaded mechanism described in greater detail below that permits the user to selectively actuate the biopsy needle so that the outer cannula and the inner tube are rapidly advanced beyond the stylet to provide a shearing action of the soft tissue specimen. In one exemplary embodiment, the rapid advancement of the needle to achieve appropriate shear/cutting forces and to facilitate specimen transit into the needle is accomplished by a first spring loaded mechanism. A second spring loaded mechanism is automatically actuated after actuation of the first spring loaded mechanism and serves to rotate the inner tube relative to the outer cannula resulting in actuation of the snare coil.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a biopsy needle for removal of tissue from a patient includes an outer tube having a distal end and an inner tube disposed within the outer tube. The needle includes a capturing mechanism that has a variable diameter for capturing a tissue specimen. The capturing mechanism includes a distal first end that is fixed relative to the distal end of the outer tube and an opposing proximal end that is attached to the inner tube. The inner tube is free to move longitudinally within and relative to the outer tube, whereby longitudinal movement of the inner tube causes activation of the capturing mechanism resulting in the closing and opening, respectively, of the capturing mechanism to capture and release the specimen, respectively.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a biopsy needle for removal of tissue from a patient includes an outer tube having a distal end and an inner tube disposed within said outer tube. The needle includes a capturing mechanism that has a variable diameter for capturing a tissue specimen. The capturing mechanism includes a distal first end that is fixed relative to the distal end of the outer tube and an opposing proximal end that is attached to the inner tube. The inner tube is free to move longitudinally within and relative to the outer tube, whereby longitudinal movement of the inner tube causes activation of the capturing mechanism resulting in the closing and opening, respectively, of the capturing mechanism to capture and release the specimen, respectively.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for collecting a tissue specimen includes a housing; an outer cannula that is at least partially received within the housing; and an inner tube received within the outer cannula and is configured to receive a stylet. The needle also includes a snare coil that is formed as part of the inner tube and is coupled to the outer cannula. The needle has a first actuation stage and a second actuation stage that is automatically activated as a result of activation of the first actuation stage. During the first actuation stage, a first mechanism contained at least partially within the housing is actuated to longitudinally and axially advance both the outer cannula and the inner tube as well as causing the outer cannula and the inner tube to simultaneously rotate in unison as the two are longitudinally advanced.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for removal of tissue from a patient including an outer tube; an inner tube within said outer tube; and a snare connected to the inner tube and to the outer tube. The outer tube has an outer surface that has a first region that terminates in the distal end and is the distalmost section of the outer tube and a second region adjacent the first region. The first region represents a tip transition region and has a frustoconical shape that is defined by an outer surface area (A) and is defined by a cross-sectional area (B) at the interface between the first and second regions in a direction that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the needle, the interface representing a base of the frustoconical second region, wherein a ratio R=(A)/(B) is approximately 1 for a predetermined needle type, such as an 8 gauge needle.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for removal of tissue from a patient includes an outer tube having a distal end and an inner tube disposed within the outer tube. The inner tube has a first section that includes a proximal end thereof, a second section that includes an actuatable snare, and a third section that includes a distal end thereof. The third section is coupled to the outer tube. The snare has a variable diameter that is controlled by rotation of the inner tube with respect to the outer tube in a prescribed direction resulting in the opening and closing, respectively, of the snare. The needle is configured such that the distal end of third section of the inner tube extends beyond the distal end of the outer tube such that the distal end of the inner tube represents a distal tip of the needle.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for collecting a tissue specimen includes a handle including a handle body that defines a hollow interior that includes a hollow inner housing member and a cannula assembly including an inner cannula, an outer cannula and a snarecoil coil at a distal end that is attached to the outer cannula. The biopsy needle also includes a first biasing element that is coupled to the cannula assembly and is configured to apply a force thereto when stored energy of the first biasing element is released to cause forward projection of the cannula assembly. A first mechanism of the needle has a first component associated with a proximal end of the inner cannula that is received within the inner housing member and a second component associated with the inner housing to cause controlled rotation of the inner cannula relative to the outer cannula after the cannula assembly is projected a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A retrieval device for retrieving and capturing a foreign body specimen, such as a tissue specimen or a foreign material specimen, according to one exemplary embodiment includes an outer cannula member having an inner lumen and an inner member received within the inner lumen such that the inner member can rotate relative to the outer cannula. The inner member has a distal end that extends beyond a distal end of the outer cannula. The device also includes a first snare coil having a first end and an opposing second end. The first end of the snare coil is attached to an outer surface of the outer cannula and the second end of the snare coil is attached to the inner member to allow the snare coil to be actuated by rotating the inner member relative to the outer cannula so as to either open or close the snare coil for collecting the specimen.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a biopsy needle for removal of tissue from a patient includes an outer tube having a distal end and an inner tube disposed within said outer tube. The inner tube has a first section that includes a proximal end thereof, a second section that includes an actuatable snare, and a third section that includes a distal end thereof. The third section is coupled to the outer tube. The snare has a variable diameter that is controlled by rotation of the inner tube with respect to the outer tube in a prescribed direction resulting in the opening and closing, respectively, of the snare. The needle is configured such that the distal end of third section of the inner tube extends beyond the distal end such that the distal end of the inner tube represents a distal tip of the needle. The snare coil has an inner diameter (IDsc) and the third section at the distal tip has an inner diameter (IDtip) and a ratio (R)=(IDsc)/(IDtip) is greater than 1.

Abstract: A biopsy needle for removal of tissue from a patient includes an outer tube having a distal end that has an inner diameter (IDtip) and an inner tube within the outer tube and having an inner diameter (IDsc), defined at the distalmost section of the inner tube. The needle also includes a snare having a first end connected to the inner tube and a second end coupled to the outer tube. The snare has a variable diameter that is controlled by rotation of the inner tube with respect to the outer tube in a prescribed direction resulting in the opening and closing, respectively, of the snare. A ratio (R) defined as (IDsc)/(IDtip) is greater than 1.