THORACIC BIOPSY INSTRUMENT WITH BIPOLAR SEALING AND BLADE TECHNOLOGY

摘要

A biopsy instrument for removing nodes such as lymph nodes may include one or more of a blade for mechanical cutting of the ducts that connect the node to surrounding tissue and/or an energy emitter for emitting energy to seal the ducts and/or contribute to the gentle removal of the node from its connecting ducts. The biopsy instrument may include a ring clamp assembly made up of two opposing ring structures that may be clamped together such that the desired tissue sample (e.g., a lymph node) is captured within the inside opening of the clamped rings. Connecting ducts may be severed using either a blade or energy emitted from the ring clamps.

主权项

1. A biopsy instrument, comprising:
a handle; a shaft extending from the handle and defining a longitudinal axis, the shaft including proximal and distal ends, the proximal end coupled to the handle; a ring clamp assembly operatively supported on the distal end of the shaft, the ring clamp assembly including first and second ring structures, at least one of the first and second ring structures movable to allow the first and second ring structures to open and close with respect to each other, the first and second ring structures forming a ring-shaped blade slot when in a closed position; and a movable cutting blade configured to move along the ring-shaped blade slot.