Biopsy cancer

Abstract

An automated gun for biopsy is described, comprising a body held by an operator, a first carriage and a second carriage housed in the body, a resilient member coupled to the first carriage and the second carriage, a gun loading mechanism, at least one button for triggering or firing the gun, and a needle cantilevered from the body along a longitudinal axis. The needle comprises a cannula constrained to the first carriage and a stylet constrained to the second carriage. The stylet and the cannula move along the longitudinal axis between a retracted position and an extended position, thereby acting together to provide a guillotine effect to sever a tissue sample. The loading mechanism of the gun comprises thrust elements of both the first carriage and the second carriage constrained to the body and longitudinally movable between an inactivated position and a loaded position. The loading mechanism comprises a slider attached to the thrust elements and movable in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The function of the slider is to selectively load one of the two carriages when an operator operates the propulsion mechanism. The gun body includes a longitudinal guide divided into a first branch and a second branch. The slider selectively engages with the first branch or the second branch in response to retraction of the propulsion element to the loaded position.

Description

FIELD OF THEINVENTION

[0001] The present invention is directed to biopsy guns, particularly automated or semi-automated guns used to obtain tissue samples from the human body. [Background technology]

[0002] Biopsy procedures are typically used to obtain samples of soft tissue inside the human body for histological examination.

[0003] The present invention refers to an automated gun that utilizes guillotine-like technology to remove soft tissue samples from a patient's body, such as kidney, prostate, or breast tissue.

[0004] Typically, disposable automatic guns for biopsies consist of a box-shaped body to which a needle (usually disposable) can be detachably attached. The box-shaped body has a generally parallelepiped shape so that it can be held in one hand by the medical professional performing the biopsy. For this reason, the box-shaped body can identify a first distal end corresponding to the end closest to the patient and farthest from the medical professional holding the gun during the biopsy, and a proximal end corresponding to the end furthest from the patient and closest to the medical professional holding the gun during the biopsy. The needle, for example 10 cm to 15 cm long, extends in a cantilevered manner from the distal end of the box-shaped body and can be inserted into the patient's body.

[0005] The needle consists of two components. a cannula provided with an echogenic tip constrained to a first carriage slidably housed in a box-shaped body; a stylet slidably received coaxially within the cannula, the stylet having a pointed tip with a hollow portion for obtaining a tissue sample, and an opposite end of the stylet being captured by a second carriage slidably received within the box-shaped body;

[0006] The first and second carriages translate within the box-shaped body between an initial retracted position at a proximal end of the box-shaped body and an advanced end position near a distal end of the box-shaped body, with corresponding springs providing the necessary thrust for the carriages to move between these two positions.

[0007] The needle defines a longitudinal axis of the box-shaped body. If the gun is configured with coaxial carriages, the first and second carriages move along the longitudinal axis, and if the gun is configured with parallel carriages moving on parallel axes, the first and second carriages move parallel to the longitudinal axis.

[0008] The carriages are normally locked in their respective stowed positions, and a drive mechanism, defined as the firing mechanism, allows medical personnel to unlock the carriages as described below.

[0009] The firing mechanism comprises a loading button for each of the two carriages, thus a first and a second loading button, usually located on the top or side of the box-shaped body of the gun, which slides parallel to the longitudinal axis relative to the box-shaped body and prevents the extension of the spring by acting on retaining teeth of the first and second carriages, respectively, or equivalent abutment surfaces that hold the carriages in the retracted position.

[0010] The practitioner loads the gun by dragging the load button to the retracted position, i.e., placing both the first and second carriages in the retracted position. When the practitioner presses either button, both carriages are released and spring forward into their forward positions under the action of their respective springs. The first carriage completes its forward movement with minimal delay compared to the time required for the second carriage to complete its forward movement. By sequentially sliding the cannula over the stylet, the guillotine-like technique previously described can be implemented.

[0011] A medical professional inserts the needle into a patient and presses a button, causing the tip of the stylet to emerge from the cannula and depositing the tissue to be sampled into the sampling cavity. Further sliding of the cannula over the stylet then separates the tissue sample captured in the sampling cavity and the chamber defined by the cannula. In effect, the sharp surfaces of the stylet and cannula work together like a guillotine to cut the tissue and hold it within the needle. The needle can then be removed from the patient's body, still containing the sample.

[0012] Sequential movement of the stylet and cannula is typically achieved by positioning the first carriage slightly offset relative to the second carriage, with the two carriages moving in unison. This feature allows precise automation of gun operation.

[0013] Thus, the term automatic means that the medical practitioner does not separately manipulate the stylet and cannula, but rather that the medical practitioner automatically moves these two components at the appropriate times when a second button is triggered.

[0014] However, there are also guns in which such automation is optional, i.e., the medical practitioner can selectively operate the cannula and stylet when desired, such as semi-automatic guns in which the stylet is always operated first and the cannula advances only when the medical practitioner triggers the corresponding button, i.e., gives a command.

[0015] The return movement of the carriages to their respective storage positions allows the spring to be reloaded for a new use. The medical practitioner manually pulls the first button and then the second button to reload the spring and return the carriage to the initial storage position. To remove the tissue sample extracted from the patient's body from the needle, the medical practitioner ensures that the stylet remains exposed from the cannula before the return movement of the carriage is completed.

[0016] The gun can then be used for another sampling on the same patient, after which another patient can be sampled by replacing or providing a new sterile needle.

[0017] Examples of biopsy cancers are described in KR20130079788, DE102011014722, DE102011014721, DE102008038414.

[0018] US7153275 describes an automatic gun for biopsies, in which first and second carriages are coaxial and arranged in front of each other on the longitudinal axis according to a configuration that can be defined as "in-line". The gun consists of a single button for loading the carriage, located on the top of the gun body, and a trigger button, located on the rear of the gun body and adapted to be pressed by the thumb.

[0019] No. 5,284,156 describes an automatic biopsy gun in which a first carriage and a second carriage are arranged so as to be aligned in a straight line on a longitudinal axis along which the needle extends, i.e. so as to be coaxially aligned.

[0020] A similar solution is described in US4944308.

[0021] US 5,036,860 describes a solution in which one of the carriages is guided in the gun body in an inner guide which has a curve at its end stop, for example as shown by reference number 124b in the figure.

[0022] US2003 / 0073929 describes a gun in which the carriage is loaded by telescopically inserting one half of the gun body into the other, with a trigger button at the rear which releases the carriage to allow it to slide forward.

[0023] US5243994 describes a biopsy gun in which the loading of the carriage is operated by the user by a cocking member 56 (Fig. 3, column 4, last paragraph) which slides on the gun body. The cocking member 56 has a drive tongue 56b which engages with the drive member 42. A lever arm mechanism 58b controls a ratchet wheel 66 which acts on a kinetic chain to lock the sliding of the drive member.

[0024] US2008 / 287825 describes a biopsy gun with an in-line carriage, the carriage's load button being located on the top of the box-shaped body and the fire button being located on the side of the box-shaped body.

[0025] US2008 / 287825 describes a biopsy gun in which the carriage is guided by a special guide formed on the inside of the box-shaped body.

[0026] US2005 / 124914 describes a biopsy gun in which the stylet rotates relative to the cannula.

[0027] WO2014 / 081812 describes a biopsy gun that includes a single push button for loading the carriages. The push button has two teeth, a first tooth for engaging a first carriage and a second tooth for engaging a second carriage. The gun also includes gears that function to facilitate loading the gun in two steps, each step loading one of the two carriages.

[0028] DE102008038413 describes a biopsy gun in which the carriages are arranged in a side-by-side configuration, i.e. in parallel, rather than in an in-line configuration, and a single loading button is provided with an elastic part which effects loading of a first carriage and elastically deforms to engage and enable loading of a second carriage.

[0029] Another solution using parallel carriages is described in US2009 / 299221. The carriages are loaded by a handle at the rear of the box-shaped body, which the operator can grasp and pull to retract both carriages simultaneously. The loading element includes a flexible selector, indicated by reference number 136, which can move alternately to the right and left of the longitudinal axis and bend elastically in precise directions to selectively load the cannula carriage and the stylet carriage.

[0030] A similar solution is described in US2015 / 148704.

[0031] WO2017 / 021826 describes an automatic biopsy gun with two carriages arranged side by side and a single loading button. The carriages are guided by guides inside a box-shaped body, with end stops that correspond to the curves of the guides.

[0032] Biopsy gun manufacturers are constantly striving to streamline gun construction so that the guns are easier to manufacture, assemble, and use.

[0033] The components of a biopsy gun are mostly made from plastic polymers by injection molding. It is therefore desirable to minimize the number of components and streamline the necessary component shapes as much as possible. Complex component shapes, abutments, teeth, and undercuts often negatively impact production costs and complicate assembly. Currently, it takes a single worker about 8-10 minutes to complete the assembly of a conventional biopsy gun. Considering the low costs dictated by the market, the time required for assembly must be as short as possible.

[0034] Despite the complex geometry of the components, in conventional guns for biopsy, the movement of the carriage in both directions is often not smooth and sometimes even jerky. In this sense, it is desirable to produce a gun that is characterized by a smooth carriage and the most fluid possible movement of the carriage and therefore of the needle. Summary of the Invention

[0035] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an automatic or semi-automatic gun for biopsy, which has a limited number of components, is simple in construction, economical for medical personnel, functional, and the components can be quickly molded and easily assembled, compared to known solutions.

[0036] Therefore, the present invention relates to a biopsy cancer according to claim 1.

[0037] The gun includes a body that can be held by a medical professional, for example a box-shaped body having a grip shape, a first carriage and a second carriage housed in the body, an elastic portion that is combined with the first carriage and the second carriage and functions to constantly apply a thrust to each carriage to move each carriage, a gun loading mechanism, at least one trigger or firing button, and a needle that cantilevers from the body along a longitudinal axis, as described further below.

[0038] The needle comprises a stylet captured by the first carriage and a cannula captured by the second carriage, the stylet having a tip with a cavity for extracting a tissue sample, the stylet is received within the cannula and is slidable within the cannula such that the cavity for extracting a tissue sample can exit the cannula and be retracted within the cannula to provide a guillotine effect to sever the tissue sample.

[0039] To achieve the guillotine effect, both the cannula and the stylet must move longitudinally between retracted and extended positions. Thus, the first carriage is longitudinally movable within the body between an advanced position in which the stylet is fully extended from the body and at least partially out of the cannula, and a retracted position in which the stylet is partially inserted into the body and the harvesting cavity is located within the cannula. Here, the phrase "fully extended from the body" should be interpreted as the stylet being at an end stop outside the gun and at a maximum extension position, but not necessarily the entire stylet being extended outside the gun. Additionally, the second carriage is longitudinally movable within the body between an advanced position in which the cannula is fully extended from the body, and a retracted position in which the cannula is partially inserted into the body.

[0040] The elastic portion constantly applies a thrust to the first carriage and the second carriage in the direction toward the forward position, and is preferably a coil spring inserted between the body wall of the gun body and each of the carriages and preloaded.

[0041] The gun loading mechanism includes a propulsion element for both the first carriage and the second carriage, the propulsion mechanism being constrained to the body and movable by an operator longitudinally, i.e., along or parallel to a longitudinal axis, relative to the body between an inoperative position and a loaded position corresponding to at least one of the first carriage and the second carriage being in the stored position and corresponding to a loaded condition of the carriage.

[0042] The loading mechanism comprises a slider attached to the thrust element and slidably movable relative to the thrust element in both directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the function of the slider being to allow an operator to selectively load one of the two carriages when operating the thrust mechanism. In fact, the body of the gun comprises a longitudinal guide divided into a first branch and a second branch, the slider selectively engaging with the first branch or the second branch, depending on whether the second carriage or the first carriage is to be loaded, when the thrust element is retracted into the loading position.

[0043] Advantageously, the selection is automatic, so that as the operator pulls rearward on the thrust element, the slider automatically sequentially engages the first branch and the second branch.

[0044] According to this solution, the use of the thrust element and the slider sliding on the bifurcated guide allows the creation of a gun with a loading mechanism that is very simple in structure, shape and movement. In fact, by using a single thrust element, the operator first loads the second carriage with a first longitudinal movement of the thrust element, and immediately after loading the first carriage, returns the thrust element to its initial position and allows it to perform a second longitudinal movement. This operation does not require components with complex shapes that are difficult to mold, but rather a limited number of components with relatively simple shapes that can be easily molded and assembled at low cost. Furthermore, the above-mentioned configuration allows the use of elastic hinges, i.e. fins or flexible elements whose behavior over time is unpredictable due to the relaxation of the plastic material used to make the flexible elements, to be avoided.

[0045] The use of the sliding slider also ensures consistency in the resistance the gun provides during loading, i.e. when the operator loads an element: in fact, unlike flexible elements, whose bending strength often changes over time due to relaxation of the material used in their construction, the slider always experiences the same friction at the seat of the loading element.

[0046] Generally, the use of said sliding slider minimizes the force required to load the gun, thus providing greater confidence to the operator and a perceived quality of the gun.

[0047] In an analogy, the slider and the switch guide operate similarly to a railway switch allowing the selection of the switch on which the train should proceed at any given time.

[0048] As mentioned above, the slider advantageously engages autonomously in the two branches of the guide due to the shape of the guide.

[0049] The above described configuration also allows for the use of a loading element located at the front of the gun body, i.e., around the needle, allowing for one-handed operation of the loading element.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the first carriage and the second carriage are arranged side-by-side within the gun body, more preferably adjacent to each other, and movable in both directions parallel to the longitudinal axis.

[0051] As mentioned above, the loading of the gun is performed sequentially. In response to a first retraction of the thrust element towards the loading position, the slider engages with the first branch of the longitudinal guide. The second carriage is then moved and held in the storage position, and the thrust element may be returned to the inoperative initial position to allow loading of the first carriage, in which the slider engages with the second branch of the longitudinal guide in response to the thrust element being moved by a second retraction to the loading position. The first carriage is also held in the storage position. Thus, following a double triggering of the thrust element by the operator, the second carriage and the first carriage are loaded sequentially and the gun is ready to fire.

[0052] More specifically, the stored position of the thrust element when the slider is engaged with the first branch of the longitudinal guide, preferably the end stop, corresponds to the second carriage being in the stored position from which it moves upon firing.

[0053] Similarly, the retracted position of the thrust element when the slider is in engagement with the second branch of the longitudinal guide corresponds to the first carriage being in the retracted position.

[0054] In practice, the operator presses the thrust element twice in succession to load two carriages in succession, thus arming the gun.

[0055] Preferably, at least one of the two carriages has a portion shaped to cooperate with the longitudinal guide to guide the slider, in other words the longitudinal guide is partly defined by a surface of the gun body and partly defined by a surface of the carriage or both carriages.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment, at least one of the first carriage and the second carriage is shaped with a wedge shape which together with the longitudinal guide defines a path for the slider.

[0057] More specifically, the longitudinal guide has a distal end located closer to the needle than the first branch, and the second branch exits exactly from the distal end. The distal end of the longitudinal guide is triangular, the apex of which is occupied by the slider when the thrust element is in the inactivated position. When the operator pushes the thrust element into the loaded position to enable the selective loading of the carriage as described above, the slider slidably and selectively engages one of the longitudinal guides at its distal end, and depending on whether the slider engages the left or right side, the slider continues to move down the first or second branch of the guide.

[0058] Preferably, the angle of the apex of the distal end of the longitudinal guide is asymmetrical relative to the longitudinal axis, such that the left and right sides of the distal end form different angles relative to a median plane of the gun passing through the longitudinal axis.

[0059] Preferably, the two sides of the apex of the distal end of the longitudinal guide are of different lengths.

[0060] Indeed, in a preferred embodiment, the longitudinal guide has a first end with an apex from which the two aforementioned branches extend, the apex being asymmetric with respect to the central plane of the gun passing through the longitudinal axis.

[0061] In one embodiment, the thrust element is a single element operatively associated with both the first carriage and the second carriage for retraction and is telescopically constrained by the body at an intermediate position between the body and the needle.

[0062] In one embodiment of the gun, the operator can set the amount of carriage travel, and therefore the amount of stylet and cannula travel, between at least two values, for example 18mm and 25mm.

[0063] Preferably, the loading mechanism comprises a selector capable of stopping the carriage, the selector being arranged on one side between the first carriage and the second carriage and on the other side between the body. The selector is movable by the operator between a first position in which the first carriage and the second carriage are moved less and a second position in which the first carriage and the second carriage are moved more with respect to the gun body. In effect, the selector functions as a spacer between the carriage and the gun body and has two parts with different thicknesses, a thick part and a thin part. When the selector is displaced, only one of the two parts acts as an end stop for the carriage.

[0064] Preferably, the thrust element is counteracted by a resilient element, such as a coil spring, which constantly exerts a thrust to return the thrust element to its inactivated position. When the operator uses the thrust element to load the gun, i.e. to retract the carriage, a force is required that exceeds the force of said resilient element.

[0065] The gun may have a single fire button, or may have multiple fire buttons in different locations to improve ergonomics for the operator, or may be capable of operating in two modes: automatic and semi-automatic.

[0066] In one embodiment, the gun includes a first trigger or fire button that, when pressed by the operator, automatically advances both carriages to an advanced position in a timescale necessary to ensure a guillotine effect, and a second trigger or fire button that, when pressed by the operator, automatically advances only the first carriage to an advanced position. In this case, when the operator operates the second button, the stylet is first pushed forward by the first carriage, while the cannula and the second carriage remain stationary, and the cannula and the second carriage are advanced by the operator pressing the first fire button. Thus, in a semi-automatic mode, the operator manually times the firing sequence.

[0067] When in the retracted position, the two carriages are held in place by special means in the gun body to prevent inadvertent advancement, i.e., advancement without the firing button being depressed.

[0068] Preferably, the gun comprises at least two flexible and resilient fins extending in a cantilever fashion from an inner surface of the body or from a plate housed in the body, each of the fins forming an undercut with one of the two carriages to overcome the thrust of the resilient parts associated with the two carriages and thereby hold the carriage in the retracted position, for example the carriages comprising teeth which are engaged by the respective resilient fins, when the operator presses the fire button, or the buttons if there are several, one or both of the fins are bent and the carriages are released to slide onto their respective seats and thus translate to their respective forward positions.

[0069] The final proposed solution is therefore a gun that has a simple structure, can be fabricated from a low cost, low number of components by molding polymers, can be quickly assembled in a short time compared to currently available typical biopsy guns, is easy to use, and allows for use in both automatic and semi-automatic systems, and allows for limited stylet and cannula travel. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0070] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments are illustrated by way of example and without limitation, in which: [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic biopsy gun according to the present invention in a fully assembled state. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective and exploded view of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] 5 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 6] 6 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 7] 7 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 9] 9 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 12]12 is a perspective view showing an assembly process of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is a top view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 14] 14 is a plan cross-sectional view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 15] 15 is a top view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 16] 16 is a plan cross-sectional view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 17] 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a top view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 19] 19 is a plan cross-sectional view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a top view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 21] 21 is a plan cross-sectional view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 22] 22 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 23] 23 is a top view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 24] 24 is a plan cross-sectional view showing the loading sequence of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 25] 25 is a top view showing a firing sequence for a first length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 26] 26 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a first length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 27] 27 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a first length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 28]28 is a top view showing a firing sequence for a first length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 29] 29 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a first length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 30] 30 is a plan cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a first length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 31] 31 is a top view showing a firing sequence for a first length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 32] 32 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a second length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 33] 33 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a second length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 34] 34 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a second length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 35] 35 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a second length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Diagram 36] 36 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a second length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 37] 37 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a second length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 38] 38 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a firing sequence for a second length of movement of the needle of the gun shown in FIG. [Figure 39] FIG. 39 is a top cross-sectional view of the gun shown in FIG. 1 showing a second end stop of the needle. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0071] 1 is a perspective view of an automated biopsy gun 1 according to the present invention, comprising a box-shaped body 2, a loading mechanism 7, and a needle 9 which is inserted into a patient's body to obtain a tissue sample. The needle 9 in turn comprises a stylet 11 which is slidably inserted coaxially into a cannula 10. Both the stylet 11 and the cannula 10 are movable about a longitudinal axis X to achieve the guillotine effect described above.

[0072] The loading mechanism 7 comprises at least one thrust element 13, and preferably, as shown in the drawings, a single thrust element 13. In particular, in the gun 1, the thrust element 13 is disposed between the needle 9 and the body 2 and is telescopic relative to the body 2. That is, the thrust element 13 can be pushed by an operator to exert a longitudinal thrust force so as to at least partially retract into the body 2 of the gun, as will be explained below.

[0073] Also visible on the main body 2 are two firing buttons A and S accessible from the top, with button A for effecting tissue sampling in a fully automatic mode and button S for effecting tissue sampling in a fully semi-automatic mode, as described further below.

[0074] A selector 19 is provided on the top surface of the gun 1 and the selector is movable between two positions, right and left, to allow the operator to select a corresponding extension of the needle 9 when firing. In the example shown, the gun 1 can be set via the selector 19 to fire at 18mm or 25mm, in one case the stylet 11 and cannula 10 are abruptly advanced 18mm, and in the other case 25mm.

[0075] FIG. 2 is a perspective and exploded view of gun 1, in which all components can be seen, including the internal components.

[0076] The body 2 is formed by two complementary shells, an upper shell 2' and a lower shell 2''.

[0077] The lower shell 2" houses a plate 23 with flexible fins 21, 22 which define undercuts or retaining teeth for the carriages 3, 4, the function of which will be described below.

[0078] Clearly visible are the cannula 10 and the stylet 11, the latter of which is provided with a sampling cavity 12 for sampling tissue from a patient. By sliding longitudinally within the cannula 10, the stylet 11 together with the cannula 10 are capable of extracting tissue from within the patient's body, cutting off a portion of the tissue and retaining it in the cavity 12 for subsequent sampling as a histological specimen.

[0079] The gun 1 further comprises a first carriage 3 in which the stylet 11 is stably fixed and a second carriage 4 in which the cannula 10 is stably fixed. The two carriages 3, 4 have the same longitudinal extent and are assembled side-by-side, i.e. shoulder-to-shoulder, in a slidable manner relative to each other. The role of the carriages 3, 4 is to push the stylet 11 and the cannula 10, respectively, into the longitudinal axis X of the selected timeline, depending on whether the operator presses button A or button S.

[0080] Generally, the carriages 3, 4 are selectively sequentially movable within the body 1 between advanced and retracted positions, which respectively correspond to the stylet 11 and cannula 10 being fully extended from and partially retracted within the body 2.

[0081] In the body 1, elastic elements 5, 6 are housed which are used to oppose the movement of the carriages 3, 4. In particular, the elastic elements 5, 6 constantly exert a longitudinal thrust on the carriages 3, 4 so as to move them towards their respective forward positions. In the example shown in the figures, the elastic elements 5, 6 are coil springs arranged between the carriages 3, 4 and the rear face of the body 2, in particular the lower shell 2″.

[0082] The selector 19 thus consists of a lever 19cc accessible from the top of the body 2 and operable by the operator's finger, and a lower element 19'' which is connected to the lever 19' when the gun 1 is assembled. As will be described below, the selector 19 can be translated in both directions along a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X.

[0083] The purpose of the selector 19 is to selectively vary the travel of the needle 9 between a first and a second firing length. In the example shown in the figures the two firing lengths are 18mm and 25mm respectively. The selector 19 therefore enables the operator to set one of two firing lengths, i.e. to selectively limit the travel of the carriages 3, 4, since the end stop surfaces against which the carriages 3, 4 abut during operation of the gun 1 change depending on the position of the selector 19.

[0084] The body 2 also accommodates an elastic element 20 for opposing the thrust element 13, in the example shown in the figures the elastic element 20 being a coil spring 20 operatively arranged between the thrust element 13 and the abutment surface of the lower shell 2″.

[0085] The thrust element 13 is telescopically constrained to the body 2 of the gun 1, i.e. it is movable in both longitudinal directions between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position (visible in FIG. 1). The thrust element 13 is intended to be pressed by the fingers of one hand of an operator to carry out the loading of the gun 1, i.e. to move the carriages 3, 4 into the retracted position. The role of the spring 20 is to return the thrust element 13 to the fully extended position after each loading.

[0086] The gun 1 comprises a slider 14 attached to the thrust element 13 and movable in both directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X relative to said thrust element. As will be explained later, the role of the slider 14 is to selectively transmit the thrust exerted by the thrust element 13 to one of the two carriages 3 or 4 at a time. That is to say, each retraction of the thrust element 13 applied by the operator results in the retraction of only one of the two carriages 3, 4, depending on the position that the slider 14 assumes relative to the thrust element 13. As a result, to bring both carriages 3, 4 into the retracted position and complete the loading of the gun 1, the operator must retract the thrust element 13 twice in succession: a first time to retract the second carriage 4, in which case the slider 14 is aligned with the second carriage 4, and a second time to retract the first carriage 3, in which case the slider 14 is aligned with the first carriage 3.

[0087] The slider 14 moves while being guided within a longitudinal guide 15, not shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this specification, the longitudinal guide 15 is bifurcated into a first branch 15' and a second branch 15'', and the slider 14 selectively engages with the first branch 15' or the second branch 15' depending on the retraction of the thrust element 13, to load the first carriage 3 and the second carriage 4, respectively.

[0088] 3 to 12 are perspective views of the gun 1 in different assembled states, i.e. when the different components are attached.

[0089] In the assembly diagram, firstly the positioning of the plate 23 in the shell 2″ is provided, directly on the bottom of the shell 2″ into which the plate 23 fits (FIG. 3). The lower element 19″ of the selector 19 is then placed in the shell 2″, in particular in the chase 19″′ which serves as a transverse guide perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X, in which the element 19″ slides in both directions (FIG. 4). The thrust elements 13 with their respective counter springs 20 are then placed, inserting the slider 14 from the side facing the carriages 3, 4, i.e. the side facing the needle 9, onto the corresponding transverse guide 14′ placed on the thrust element 13 (FIGS. 5-6).

[0090] As shown in FIG. 7, upon assembly, the lower element 19″ of the selector 19 engages in the longitudinal guide 13′ of the thrust element 13. This configuration allows retraction of the thrust element 13 within the body 2 of the gun 1 while at the same time allowing the selector 19 to move laterally within the guide 13′, since the guide is sufficiently large.

[0091] Next, the carriages 3, 4 are assembled as shown in Figs. 8-10. As shown in Fig. 8, the first carriage 3 and the second carriage 4 are arranged side by side. Please note that the second carriage 4 is provided with a front hole 4' into which the stylet 11 fixed to the first carriage 3 is slidably inserted. The cannula 10 is fixed to the second carriage 4. The two carriages 3, 4 arranged side by side and their respective springs 6, 5 are inserted into the main body 2, and the springs 5, 6 are preloaded between the bottom wall of the main body 2 and the carriages 3, 4. The needle 9 is completed. The carriages 3, 4 inserted into the shell 2'' slide on the plate 23.

[0092] At this point, the body 2 is closed by joining the shells 2' and 2" (Figure 11) and the two firing buttons A, S and the lever 19' of the selector 19 are attached (Figure 12).

[0093] 13 to 24 show the loading sequence of the gun 1.

[0094] In particular, Figure 13 is a plan view and top schematic view of the gun 1 in an initial, unloaded configuration. A longitudinal guide 15 is formed in the body 2, in particular in the upper shell 2', and bifurcates into a first branch 15' and a second branch 15". The first branch 15' is longitudinally aligned with the second carriage 4 and the second branch 15" is longitudinally aligned with the first carriage 3.

[0095] The slider 14 selectively engages with the first branch 15' or the second branch 15'' depending on the retraction of the thrust element 13 to the loading position. That is, the slider 14 allows the loading of the second carriage 4 according to the first branch 15' of the guide 15 when the thrust element 13 is pushed a first time, and then allows the loading of the first carriage 3 according to the second branch 15'' of the guide 15 when the thrust element 13 is pushed a second time.

[0096] In Figure 13, carriages 3 and 4 are both in their forward position, abutting selector 19, and thrust element 13 is at rest in a fully extended position from body 2. Slider 14 is apex of distal end 17 (Figure 15) of guide 15, attached to thrust element 13 and movable relative to thrust element 13 in both directions perpendicular to longitudinal axis X on guide 14' seen in Figures 5 and 6.

[0097] FIG. 14 is a view of the gun 1 in the same configuration as shown in FIG. 13, but without the upper shell 2′, in order to better show the position of the carriages 3, 4 and the slider 14. The guide 15 is therefore not visible, but the carriages 3 and 4, which are held in the forward position by the springs 5 ​​and 6. The second carriage 4 is thus shaped with a wedge-shaped end 16″, which together with the longitudinal guide 15 defines the path of the slider 14, in particular in the first moments of its movement, so as to correctly guide it into the first branch 15′. In particular, due to the cooperation between the guide 15 and the wedge-shaped end 16″ of the second carriage 4, when the propelling element 13 is pushed by the operator to the retracted position, the carriage which is chronologically the first to be loaded, i.e. brought into the retracted position, is precisely the second carriage 4.

[0098] FIG. 15 shows the gun 1 in a plan view with the upper shell 2' attached, thus making the guide 15 visible, and with the second carriage 4 in the retracted position. The slider 14 has thus completed the movement of the first branch 15' of the guide 15, and therefore has reached an end stop. Conversely, the first carriage 3 is still in the forward position and abuts against a portion 19" of the selector 19, and indeed the coil spring 6 is visible alongside the second carriage 4. In this configuration, with the first carriage 3 in the forward position and the second carriage 4 loaded in the retracted position, the cannula 10 is retracted, exposing the sampling cavity 12 of the stylet 11.

[0099] FIG. 16 is a view of the same gun 1 as FIG. 15, but without the upper shell 2'.

[0100] FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the gun 1, taken in a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis X, in the same configuration as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, i.e. with the second carriage 4 retracted and the first carriage 3 in the forward position. The second carriage 4 is thus held in the retracted position against the thrust of the spring 5 by the flexible fins 21 of the plate 23, which engage with the undercuts 4' on the underside of the second carriage 4. When the operator presses the fire button, as will be explained below, the pressure bends the flexible fins 21 towards the plate 23, i.e. flattens them, disengaging the second carriage 4, which can then move forward under the thrust of the spring 5.

[0101] FIG. 18 is a plan view of the gun 1 with the second carriage 4 in the retracted position as shown in FIGS. 15-17, the slider 14 again being located at the apex of the distal end 17 of the guide 15. After the operator first presses the thrust element 13, the thrust force exerted by the coil spring 20 (FIG. 6) actually returns it to its forward initial inactivated position. Since the slider 14 is constrained by the thrust element 13 (note that it slides in the guide of the thrust element 13 perpendicular to its longitudinal axis), it is pulled along the first branch 15′ (i.e. moves in the opposite direction to before) and is brought to the initial position corresponding to FIGS. 13 and 14. In this position, the slider 14 is ready for the second triggering of the thrust element 13. Thus, the first carriage 3 also has a wedge-shaped end 16' which, together with the guide 15, serves to guide the slider 14, in this case towards the second branch 15' upon a second pressing of the thrust element 13.

[0102] FIG. 19 shows the same view of the gun 1 as in FIG. 18, but without the upper shell 2′. Since the second carriage 4 is in the retracted position and does not interfere with the guidance of the slider 14, by a new pressing of the thrust element 13, the slider 14 is guided into the second branch 15″ of the guide 15, bypassing the wedge-shaped end 16′ of the first carriage 3.

[0103] This condition is shown in FIG. 20 which shows a top view of the gun 1 with the top shell 2' attached so that the guide 15 is visible and both carriages 3 and 4 are in the retracted position. Thus, the slider 14 has completed its travel in the second branch 15" of the guide 15 and has therefore reached an end stop. In this configuration, with both carriages 3 and 4 in the retracted position, both the cannula 10 and the stylet 11 are retracted and the harvesting cavity 12 of the stylet 11 is not exposed but is inside the cannula 10.

[0104] Figure 21 is a view of the same gun 1 as Figure 20, but with the upper shell 2' omitted. Thus, the carriages 3 and 4 are always parallel, whether they are both in the forward or retracted position, or staggered with one carriage in the forward position and the other in the retracted position.

[0105] FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of the gun 1, in the same configuration as shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, i.e. with both carriages 3 and 4 retracted. The gun 1 is shown in a configuration ready to fire. Thus, the first carriage 3 is also held in the retracted position against the thrust of the spring 6 by the flexible fins 22 of the plate 23, which engage with the undercuts 3' on the underside of the first carriage 3. When the operator presses the firing button, as will be explained below, the pressure bends the flexible fins 22 towards the plate 23, i.e. flattens the fins 22, disengaging the first carriage 3, which can move forward under the thrust of the spring 6.

[0106] FIG. 23 is a plan view of the gun 1, seen from above, with both carriages 3 and 4 in the retracted position. As shown in FIGS. 20-22, when the gun 1 is loaded and ready to fire, the slider 14 is in its initial position, at the apex of the distal end 17 of the guide 15. This is because, after a second triggering of the thrust element 13, which is required to retract the first carriage 3, the thrust element 13 will return to its initial forward, inoperative position by the thrust from the spring 20, thereby pulling the slider 14 back to the apex of the distal end 17 of the guide 15.

[0107] Gun 1 is ready to fire.

[0108] FIG. 24 shows the same arrangement as FIG. 23, but with the upper shell 2' removed to reveal the relative positions of the carriages 3 and 4, the selector 19, the slider 14, and the positions of the cannula 10 and stylet 11.

[0109] Now, with reference to Figures 25 to 31, the firing sequence of the gun 1 will be described for a first firing length corresponding to 18 mm.

[0110] More specifically, Figs. 25 to 28 show how to use the selector 19, and Figs. 29 to 31 show the actual firing process.

[0111] Figure 25 is a plan view of the gun 1, ready to fire, in the same configuration as shown in Figures 23-24, with both carriages 3 and 4 held in their retracted positions and with the slider 14 in its forward position. The element 19' of the selector 19 is offset completely to the left with respect to the longitudinal axis X, in a position corresponding to the 25 mm end stop of the carriage and thus of the needle 9. As will now be explained, to change the end stop to 18 mm, the operator displaces the selector 19 to the opposite position, i.e. to the left of the longitudinal axis X.

[0112] The element 19'' of the selector 19 is displaceable relative to the longitudinal axis X together with an element 19' which is directly operated by the operator with a finger (for example a thumb).

[0113] Figure 26 is a view similar to Figure 25, but with the upper shell 2' omitted. Carriages 3 and 4 are retracted together side-by-side and held by fins 21, 22 of plate 23. Cannula 10 and stylet 11 have been retracted and sampling cavity 12 is inside cannula 10. Selector 19 is still in a position corresponding to the 25mm end stop.

[0114] At this point, as shown in Figures 27 and 28, an operator wishing to reduce the end stops to 18 moves the selector 19 to a position corresponding to the right side of the longitudinal axis X and fires.

[0115] FIG. 29 shows the start of the firing sequence.

[0116] Pressing button A will fire the weapon in fully automatic mode, while pressing button S will fire the weapon in semi-automatic mode.

[0117] Assuming that button A is used, the fins 22 holding the first carriage 3 are bent by the pressure. As shown in FIG. 29, due to the absence of constraint between the fins 22 and the undercut 3' of the first carriage 3, the first carriage 3 suddenly moves to the forward position and reaches its respective end stop determined by the element 19" of the selector 19. As a result, the stylet 11 partially exits the cannula 10 long enough to expose the sampling cavity 12. The needle 9 is then inserted into the patient's body for tissue sampling.

[0118] Immediately after, as shown in FIG. 30, the second carriage 4 also advances, moving the cannula 10 to the forward position, thus achieving the guillotine effect mentioned above. The release of the second carriage 4 is performed by the button A, which is shaped to operate the fin 22 and then the fin 21 of the plate 23 holding the first carriage 3 and the second carriage 4, respectively. Thus, by pressing the button A, the carriages 3 and 4 are automatically released at the required time axis. In fact, the second carriage 4 is released forwards as soon as the first carriage 3 reaches the end stop of the forward position. The end stop of the second carriage 4 in the forward position is also determined by the element 19″ of the selector 19, so that the two carriages 3 and 4 are perfectly aligned in the forward position as well. The cannula 10 slides over the stylet 11 until it covers the sampling cavity and contains the tissue present therein.

[0119] FIG. 31 shows the gun 1 in the same configuration as shown in FIG. 30, ie with the upper shell 2' visible after firing.

[0120] At this point, tissue has been taken from the subject and the operator can remove needle 9 from the subject.

[0121] With reference to Figures 32-38, the firing sequence will again be described, assuming that the operator displaces the selector 19 to a position with a firing length of 25 mm (i.e. a firing length longer than the 18 mm described with respect to Figures 28-31) and returns it to a position to the left of the longitudinal axis X, as shown in Figure 25.

[0122] 32 to 38 are vertical cross-sectional views taken along a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis X. FIG.

[0123] Figure 32 shows the gun 1 in a loaded state with both carriages 3 and 4 in the retracted position, held by the fins 21 and 22 of the plate 23. As can be seen from a comparison with Figure 2, the buttons S and A are fitted with corresponding pins S' and A', respectively, which extend towards the plate 23. The pins S' and A' serve to bend the fins 21 and 22, thereby achieving the release of the carriages 3 and 4.

[0124] When the operator presses button A, button S is pulled down by button A. As a result, both pins A' and S' bend the corresponding fins 21 and 22. In this case, in the time axis shown, pin S' bends flexible fin 22 first, and then pin A' bends flexible fin 21. This is because pins A' and S' are different lengths.

[0125] When the operator presses the button S, it descends and the pin S' bends the fin 22, releasing the first carriage 3, but this does not affect the button A, and the second carriage 4 remains stationary.

[0126] Thus, in the fully automatic mode, pressing button A also lowers button S and causes both carriages 3 and 4 to suddenly move forward in the sequence previously described, whereas in the semi-automatic mode, pressing button S causes only the first carriage 3 to move forward, while the second carriage 4 remains stationary and moves forward only after the operator specifically presses button A.

[0127] The difference in the semi-automatic mode is that the operator decides the time between advancing the first carriage 3 and advancing the second carriage 4 .

[0128] This situation can be easily understood by referring to Figure 33, which shows the gun 1 with the button S depressed and carriages 3 and 4 retracted. The pin S' forces the flexible fin 22 to bend, freeing the first carriage 3 so it can move forward. Thus, the button A and second carriage 4 are stationary, with button A up and second carriage 4 retracted.

[0129] At this point, the first carriage 3 suddenly moves to an advanced position as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Note that the end stop of the first carriage 3 is provided with an element 19" of the selector 19. Thus, by appropriately shaping the selector 19, the firing length, i.e., the amount of travel of the stylet 11 and cannula 10, can be adjusted.

[0130] Figure 35 shows the gun 1 from the opposite side, in the same configuration as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Thus, the button A remains up and the corresponding pin A' does not act on the fin 21.

[0131] 36 shows a subsequent moment in the firing sequence in semi-automatic mode: the operator has pressed button A, which causes pin A' to flex the fin 21 which holds the second carriage 4.

[0132] At this point, as shown in Figure 37, the second carriage 4 also suddenly moves into a forward position, aligning it side-by-side with the first carriage 3, until it reaches an end stop against the selector 19. The firing is complete.

[0133] FIG. 38 shows the gun 1 after firing, similar to FIG. 37, but with buttons A and S and fins 21 and 22 in the raised position.

[0134] By comparing Figure 39 with Figure 30 it can be seen how the selector 19 changes the end stops of carriages 3 and 4. This change is made based on the longitudinal distance D which is precisely shown in Figures 30 and 39. Thus, in Figure 30 the selector 19 is in a position which provides earlier end stops for carriages 3 and 4 compared to the end stops of the same selector 19 in the position shown in Figure 39 (where distance D is zero).

[0135] As can be seen, the guide 15 is asymmetrical, with the apex 17 of the triangle forming an asymmetrical angle with the longitudinal axis X. This is used to correctly route the slider 14 first into the first branch 15' and then into the second branch 15". In reality, the apex 17 of the guide 15 is not symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis X.

Claims

1. A biopsy gun (1) comprising a body (2) held by an operator, a first carriage (3) and a second carriage (4) housed in the body (2), elastic parts (6, 5) associated with the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4), a loading mechanism (7) for the gun, at least one button (A, S) for triggering or firing the gun (1), and a needle (9) extending in a cantilevered manner from the body (2) along a longitudinal axis (X), The needle (9) comprises a stylet (11) constrained to the first carriage (3) and a cannula (10) constrained to the second carriage (4); The stylet (11) has a pointed tip with a hollow sampling portion (12) for sampling a tissue sample; The stylet (11) is housed within the cannula (10) and is slidable so that the sampling cavity (12) exits the cannula (10) and is retracted within the cannula (10) to provide a guillotine effect; the first carriage (3) is longitudinally movable within the body (2) between an advanced position in which the stylet (11) is fully extended from the body (2) and at least partially out of the cannula (10) and a retracted position in which the stylet (11) is partially inserted within the body (2) and the sampling cavity (12) is located within the cannula (10); the second carriage (4) is longitudinally movable within the body (2) between an advanced position in which the cannula (10) is fully extended from the body (2) and a retracted position in which the cannula (10) is partially inserted within the body (2); The elastic parts (6, 5) constantly apply a thrust to the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) in the direction toward their respective forward positions; the loading mechanism (7) comprises a thrust element (13) constrained to the body (2) relative to the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) and movable by the operator in a longitudinal direction relative to the body (2) between an inoperative position and a loading position, the displacement of the thrust element (13) to the loading position causing at least one of the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) to retract to the storage position; 1. A biopsy gun (1), comprising: a loading mechanism (7) comprising a slider (14) slidably attached to the thrust element (13) and movable relative to the thrust element (13) in both directions perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (X); the body (2) comprises a longitudinal guide (15) bifurcating into a first branch (15') and a second branch (15"); the slider (14) selectively engages with the first branch (15') or the second branch (15") when the thrust element (13) retracts to the loading position, thereby loading the second carriage (4) or the first carriage (3).

2. 2. The automatic gun (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that upon a first retraction of the thrust element (13) towards the loading position, the slider (14) engages with the first branch (15') of the longitudinal guide (15) and, following in time the first retraction, upon a second retraction of the thrust element (13) towards the loading position, the slider (14) engages with the second branch (15'') of the longitudinal guide (15).

3. 3. The automatic gun (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the storage position of the thrust element (13) when the slider (14) is engaged with the first branch (15') of the longitudinal guide (15) corresponds to the second carriage (4) being in the storage position.

4. The automatic gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the retracted position of the thrust element (13) when the slider (14) is in engagement with the second branch (15″) of the longitudinal guide (15) corresponds to the first carriage (3) being in the retracted position.

5. The automatic gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one of the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) is shaped with a wedge profile (16', 16") that defines, together with the longitudinal guide (15), a path for the slider (14).

6. 6. The automatic gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the longitudinal guide (15) has a distal end (17) from which the first branch (15') and the second branch (15") diverge, the distal end (17) being triangular in shape, an apex (18) being occupied by the slider (14) when the thrust element (13) is in a non-actuated position, and the slider (14) slidably and selectively engages with one side of the longitudinal guide (15) when the thrust element (13) is pushed by the user to the loaded position.

7. 7. The automatic gun (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the angle of the apex (18) of the distal end (17) of the longitudinal guide (15) is asymmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis (X).

8. The automatic gun (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the two sides (18', 18") of the apex (18) of the distal end (17) of the longitudinal guide (15) have different lengths.

9. The automatic gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the propulsion element (13) is a single element functionally combined with both the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) for retraction, and is telescopically constrained by the body (2) at an intermediate position between the body (2) and the needle (9).

10. The automatic gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the loading mechanism (7) has a function of stopping the carriages (3, 4) and includes a selector (19) arranged on one side between the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) and on the other side between the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) and the main body (2), and the selector (19) is movable by the user between a first position in which the movement amount of the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) is small relative to the main body (2) and a second position in which the movement amount of the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) is extended.

11. The automatic gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the loading mechanism (7) comprises an elastic element (20) configured to counteract the movement of the thrust elements (13) and return the thrust elements (13) to their respective initial positions.

12. An automatic gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises a first button (A) for triggering or firing the gun (1) in an automatic mode, which when pressed by the operator automatically advances both of the carriages (3, 4) to the forward position, and a second button (S) for triggering or firing the gun (1) in a semi-automatic mode, which when pressed by the operator advances only the first carriage (3) to the forward position.

13. 12. The automatic gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises at least two flexible and elastic fins (21, 22) extending in a cantilevered manner from an inner surface of the body (2) or from a plate (23) housed in the body (2), each of the fins (21, 22) forming an undercut with one of the two carriages (3, 4) and holding said carriage in a retracted position by overcoming the thrust of the elastic parts (5, 6) associated with said two carriages (3, 4), and at least one of the buttons (A, S) for triggering or firing the gun (1), when pressed by the operator, engages with and bends at least one of the two fins (21, 22) to release and move at least one of the carriages (3, 4) to the forward position.

14. An automatic gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) are arranged in parallel within the body (2) and move parallel to the longitudinal axis (X).

15. Use of a biopsy gun (1) according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 14, comprising, starting with the first carriage (3) and the second carriage (4) in the advanced position: a) the operator first presses the thrust element (13) from the inoperative position to the loading position, thereby sliding the slider (14) into the first branch (15') of the longitudinal guide (15) and retracting the second carriage (4) to the storage position; b) providing that the thrust elements (13) return to their respective inoperative positions, the operator presses the thrust elements (13) a second time from the inoperative position to the loading position, thereby sliding the slider (14) into the second branch (15″) of the longitudinal guide (15) and retracting the first carriage (3) to the storage position; c) by pressing at least one of said buttons (A, S) to trigger or fire said gun (1); - automatic forward movement of both carriages (3, 4) towards said forward position by pressing a first button (A); - by pressing a second button (S), advancing only the first carriage (3) towards the advanced position.

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