Biopsy anchor device with cutter

Abstract

A device for accessing and for isolating a desired site within a patient's body, and for obtaining a body of tissue from a patient at the site that includes an electrosurgical cutting electrode near the distal tip of a shaft, an anchoring mechanism and an electrosurgical side-cutting device. Methods are provided for accessing a target site within a patient's body, anchoring a body of tissue at the site, and isolating the body of tissue, at the site. The method may be performed for a surgical biopsy or lumpectomy at the target site within a patient's body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present invention is a continuation application of prior copending application Ser. No. 10 / 056,453, filed Jan. 23, 2002, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09 / 753,529, filed Dec. 28, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,695, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09 / 057,303, filed Apr. 8, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,331,166, application Ser. No. 09 / 146,185, filed Sep. 1, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,540,693, application Ser. No. 09 / 159,467, filed Sep. 23, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,261,241, application Ser. No. 09 / 238,965, filed Jan. 27, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,105, application Ser. No. 09 / 356,187, filed on Jul. 16, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,429, and application Ser. No. 09 / 477,255, filed on Jan. 4, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,700, which are each hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety, and from each of which priority is claimed under 35 U.S.C. 120.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present inventi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0025]An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a roughly spherical specimen of target tissue. A roughly spherical specimen is easily examined to detect the presence and extent of diseased tissue. If the tissue within the specimen is found to be in fact diseased, e.g. to contain a carcinoma, then the entire surface of the roughly spherical specimen should be examined to be sure that there is no diseased tissue at the specimen margins. If the margins are free of diseased tissue, then the physician can be reasonably assured that all of the diseased tissue has been removed. Alternatively, the presence of diseased tissue at the margins of the specimen suggests that additional diseased tissue may remain within the patient's body.

[0026]After removing the target tissue samples or diseased tissues, additional procedures may be performed at the biopsy site or site of diseased tissue. For example, it may be desirable to cauterize, coagulate or otherwise treat the resulting cavity to stop bleeding and reduce the risk of infection or other complications. Where tissue isolation is performed, electrosurgical coagulation may be performed before or after removing the tissue specimen from the patient. Also, it may be advantageous to mark the site for future surgical procedures should pathological tests performed on the biopsy specimen indicate surgical removal or other treatment of the suspected tissue mass from which the specimen was removed. Such marking can be performed, for example, by the apparatus and method disclosed and claimed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 343,975, filed Jun. 30, 1999, entitled “Biopsy Site Marker and Process and Apparatus for Applying It,” which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0027]The devices and methods of the invention provide the advantage of anchoring the device at a target location, avoiding movement after a site of interest has been identified within the body of a patient. A further advantage is provided by the ability of the device to cut a body of tissue from that correct location, without needing to position a separate instrument at the site. In addition, the present invention provides a roughly spherical specimen of target tissue, which by its shape is easily examined to detect the presence and extent of diseased tissue.

Problems solved by technology

Tissues of interest, such as nodules, masses, tumors and the like, which are typically the desired targets of a biopsy sample, may be readily displaced, pushed aside or otherwise deformed during biopsy procedures, making it likely that some or all of the desired target tissue may be missed during the biopsy procedure, thereby increasing the likelihood of misdiagnosis of the condition that led to the need for the biopsy.

However, there is frequently a delay between the positioning of the device and the taking of the biopsy sample, so that the device or tissue may move and prevent acquisition of the desired tissue.

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