A hand held tissue sampling device having a rotatable punch holder holding a plurality of punches

摘要

An applicator for sampling tissue is disclosed. The applicator includes a punch drive section including an applicator punch, which operates along a first axis, means for retaining a punch holder, and a container holder section that retains and locates a container in alignment with the applicator punch. The means for retaining the punch holder is adapted to retain the punch holder that holds a plurality of punches on a frusto-conical surface, which is rotatable about a second axis, off-set from the first axis. It is located so as to position the frusto-conical surface so as to intersect the first axis and so that rotation of the means for retaining the punch holder individually locates each punch held by the punch holder into alignment with the applicator punch, between the applicator punch and the container holder section. Operation of the applicator punch causes the aligned punch to move towards the container holder section to excise a tissue sample.