Abstract: Biopsy needles comprising an elongate hollow needle having an inwardly tapered front end portion terminating in a cutting edge have been used for taking bone marrow biopsies, but difficulties occur, inter alia, in breaking off the biopsy from the remainder of the marrow and retaining it in the needle. This difficulty is overcome by the needle having a front end portion of smaller internal cross-section than the remainder of the needle, with an internal shoulder or step where the said front portion adjoins the wider internal portion of the needle. The shoulder is adapted to break or cut the biopsy from the remainder of the marrow and retain it within the needle.

Abstract: A flatus filter for attachment in a folded position over the edge of a stoma bag to cover opposed perforations in each of the two external walls of the stoma bag, comprising a gas-permeable pad containing an odor-absorbent substance affixed to one side of an elongate web, with at least a portion of the edges of the pad being exposed and/or with a portion of a major surface of the pad being exposed through one or more perforations in the said web adjacent to the pad, and with at least a portion of the side of the pad remote from the said web being exposed, or covered only by a removable protective backing sheet, and with that part of the filter surrounding the last-mentioned exposed portion being provided with an adhesive coating for attachment of the filter to a stoma bag.