Patent CH183969A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6085086A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0262966A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sampling device
Assignee: Animal House Inc
•
Filing: 1987-10-01
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2007-10-01
Abstract
Abstract A probe is provided for collecting mucous tissue samples in vivo particularly from the conjunctiva, the urethra and the cervix. The probe comprises a handle portion (10) and a body portion (14), which is slotted for scraping the tissue into the slots. The tissue sample may then be introduced into an aqueous transport medium comprising sucrose, potassium phosphates, foetal bovine serum, streptomycin, vancomycin and nystatin. The sample may be smeared from the transport medium, with the cells still intact onto a slide, using a cytocentrifuge; and then the smear is assayed for disease, for example disease due to adenovirus, herpes simplex virus or chlamydia. The assay step may include single or multiple immonofluorescent staining.
Inventors
- 👤 Sohrab Darougar
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 04:27
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B10/00; A61B10/02; A61B10/0291; A61B10/0045; A61B2010/0074; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B2017/320004; A61B2017/320008; G; G01; G01N; G01N1/00; G01N1/28; G01N1/2813; G01N2001/2846
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A probe (e.g. of integral metallic or integral plastics construction) adapted to collect a mucous tissue sample in vitro comprising (a) a handle portion; (b) a body portion; (c) means for collecting tissue comprising a plurality of (e.g. at least twelve evenly spaced) slots provided in the body portion, the slots having outer edge portions; and (d) means for scraping tissue into the slots, said tissue scraping means being provided by the outer edge portions of the slots, which are, for example sharp.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
A probe (e.g. of integral metallic or integral plastics construction) adapted to collect a mucous tissue sample in vitro comprising (a) a handle portion; (b) a body portion; (c) means for collecting tissue comprising a plurality of (e.g. at least twelve evenly spaced) slots provided in the body portion, the slots having outer edge portions; and (d) means for scraping tissue into the slots, said tissue scraping means being provided by the outer edge portions of the slots, which are, for example sharp.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A probe according to claim 1, adapted to collect a tissue sample from the conjuctiva, wherein the body portion is cylindrical in the region of the slots, the slots are radial and extend axially of the probe, and there are for example at least fifteen evenly spaced slots.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
A probe according to claim 1, adapted to collect a tissue sample from the urethra or cervix wherein the body portion is cylindrical in the region of the slots and the slots are annular, and there are for example in the case of the urethral probe at least fifteen evenly spaced slots, and in the case of the cervical probe at least twenty evenly spaced slots.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
A cervical probe according to claim 3, wherein the body portion defines annular shoulder means for preventing entry of the probe into the uterus, and for example to body portion terminates in nose means for comfortable insertion into the cervix and the length of the body portion from the annular shoulder to the tip of the nose is at most 20 mm.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of diagnosing disease (due for example to adenovirus, herpes simplex virus or chlamydia) comprising the steps of: (a) collecting in vivo a tissue sample (e.g. conjunctival, urethral or cervical tissue) comprising intact cells; (b) introducing the tissue sample with the cells intact into an aqueous transport medium comprising: (c) smearing the sample from the transport medium with the cells still intact, onto a slide e.g. by cytocentrifugation; and (d) assaying the smear for the diesease, e.g. by immunofluorescent staining.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of diagnosing disease (due for example to adenovirus, herpes simplex virus or chlamydia) comprising the steps of: (a) collecting in vivo a tissue sample (e.g. conjunctival, urethral or cervical tissue) comprising intact cells; (b) introducing the tissue sample with the cells intact into an aqueous transport medium comprising: (c) smearing the sample from the transport medium with the cells still intact, onto a slide e.g. by cytocentrifugation; and (d) assaying the smear for the diesease, e.g. by immunofluorescent staining.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the assay step includes multiple staining a smear simultaneously with a plurality of different conjugated antibodies or anti-sera.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the transport medium is hypertonic with respect to the cells.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
35 words
A method according to any one of claims 5, 6 and 7, wherein the transport medium also comprises foetal bovine serum e.g. up to 5% by volume and antibiotics, e.g. streptomycin, vancomycin or mixtures thereof.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
22 words
A method according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the transport medium also comprises an anti-fungal agent, e.g. nystatin.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
16 words
A method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, wherein the transport medium comprises:
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.