MINIMALLY INVASIVE METHODS AND APPARATUS

摘要

Methods and apparatus are provided to facilitate the minimally invasive removal of tissue biopsies and to facilitate the direct approach to anesthetizing the chest wall, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. A pull-type cutting device 1 comprises two coaxially nested tubes, each extending from a proximal end 21 to a distal end 22. The first tube 61 defines a guide wire lumen 23 for slidingly receiving a guide wire. The second tube 63 extends over the first tube 60 and coupled thereto at the distal end 22 defining an expandable portion 13 adjacent the distal end 22. The second tube 63 defines an inflation lumen 25 extending from the shaft proximal end 21 to the expandable portion 13. The inflation lumen 25 communicates inflation fluid from the proximal end 21 to the expandable portion 13 so as to inflate and deploy the expandable portion 13. Disposed adjacent the shaft distal end 22 is a cutting head 10 comprising the expandable portion 13 having a cutting portion 11 distal from the shaft distal end 22.

主权项

1. A biopsy device for use in extracting target tissue, comprising:
a first needle defining a first-needle bore, a distal end of said first needle being effective to pierce tissue upon advancement in a patient; a snare comprising a snare shaft and a deployable snare head at a distal end of said snare shaft, said snare shaft at least partially received within and extending through said first-needle bore, said snare head being made of a shape-memory material such that while retained within said first-needle bore the snare head is compressed to a first, low-profile configuration, and that on advancement relative to said first needle the snare head is deployed to second, high-profile configuration upon advancing beyond said first-needle distal end; and a sheath insertable into said patient while accommodating said snare shaft through a bore of said sheath for guiding insertion thereof until a distal end said sheath reaches a location adjacent said snare head, said sheath being configured to dilate a tissue tract along said snare shaft between said snare head and a space outside said patient to a sufficient diameter to accommodate withdrawal of a target tissue that has been engaged by said snare head in said high-profile configuration.