Biological sampling device

摘要

A sampling device adapted for transcervical sampling of biological materials from a pregnant patient comprising:
an elongate insertion tube (4) having a first end (5) adapted for insertion through the external orifice (external os) of said patient's cervix and a second end (6) including a handle means (7) for manipulating said tube;a measuring means for determining the position of said first end of said tube within said cervix,

wherein said first end (5) includes a sampling head (9, 14) adapted to collect biological material including cells, mucus and biological fluids, and wherein said measuring means is adapted to determine the extent of insertion and transcervical position of said first end to optimise the transcervical sampling site.

主权项

1. A sampling device adapted for transcervical sampling of biological materials from a patient comprising:
an outer tube having visible reference marks at a first end of the tube, the marks indicating intervals of distance along the first end of the tube; an elongate insertion member having a first end and a second end, the insertion member being received in and sized to be movable through the outer tube; a sampling portion disposed on the first end of the insertion member and configured to collect the biological materials by absorption or adsorption; a first stop disposed adjacent the reference marks on the outer tube, the position of the first stop being adjustable with respect to the reference marks on the outer tube; and a second stop arranged to limit the distance that the first end of the insertion member can extend past the first end of the outer tube; wherein the first stop is sized to pass through a vagina of the patient but to be restricted from passing through an external os of a cervix of the patient, and wherein the outer tube is sized to pass through the external os; and wherein the sampling portion comprises a sponge material comprising a multifilamentous array of sponge fingers.