Apparatus for serial collection, storage and processing of biopsy

Abstract

An apparatus for performing a medical procedure comprising an elongated shaft having multiple apertures extending therethrough. The shaft has a proximal end and a distal end. An actuator is positioned within the aperture and has a proximal end and an opposite distal end. A spring jaw is connected to the distal end of the actuator for cutting and collecting biopsy specimens. The spring jaw is closed by advancing the shaft over the jaw while holding the actuator in place. This action cuts the biopsy specimen without moving the cutting jaw away from the desired biopsy site, thus facilitating multiple biopsies. Multiple methods for moving the biopsies from the spring jaw into the storage chamber include facilitated suction by entraining air and fluid through the perforated biopsy jaws and fluid injection from the distal shaft into the jaws that entrains the biopsies as it exits proximally through perforations in the storage chamber. Biopsies within the chamber are constrained by a constriction in the spring jaw that forms as the jaws are opened for each subsequent biopsy. After serial acquisition of several biopsies, the holding segment of the tube shaft is separated from the remainder and is closed by a cap to form a processing cassette. The cassette holds the specimens in order of acquisition through fixation and processing, to be opened for slicing or analysis.