Endometrial sampler

Claim 2

Endometrial sampler comprising a rigid hollow tube having a sampling end providing a plurality of sampling ports communicating with the interior of said tube and sleeve means surrounding said tube and slidable with respect to it said tube having a distal stop means said sleeve means and tube being reciprocable with respect to one another between a sampling position in which said sleeve means exposes at least one said sampling port, and a second position in which said sleeve means engages said distal stop means and covers said sampling ports.

Claim 3

The endometrial sampler tube of claim 1 further providing rearward stop means and cervical stop means on said sleeve for engaging the cervix of a patient, said cervical stop means cooperating with said rearward stop means to limit travel of said sampling end beyond said cervix.

Claim 4

Endometrial sampler comprising a rigid hollow tube having a stop means on its proximal end and a distal sampling end having a closed tip of larger outer diameter than said tube and a plurality of sampling ports communicating with the interior of said tube sleeve means surrounding said tube and slidable with respect to it, said sleeve means being shorter than the length of said tube between said tip and said stop means and of an outer diameter approximately equal to that of said tip said sleeve means and said tube being reciprocable with respect to one another between a sampling position in which said sleeve means exposes at least one said sampling port, and a second position in which said sleeve means engages said tip and covers said sampling ports.

Claim 5

Endometrial sampler comprising a rigid hollow tube having a stop means on its proximal end and a distal sampling end having a closed tip of larger outer diameter than said tube and a plurality of sampling ports communicating with the interior of said tube sleeve means surrounding said tube and slidable with respect to it, said sleeve means being shorter than the length of said tube between said tip and said stop means and of an outer diameter approximately equal to that of said tip said sleeve means and said tube being reciprocable with respect to one another between a sampling position in which said sleeve means exposes at least one said sampling port, and a second position in which said sleeve means engages said tip and covers said sampling ports.

Claim 6

The endometrial sampler of claim 3 in which said sleeve means further provides sleeve stop means and cervical stop means for engaging the cervix of a patient, said cervical stop means cooperating with said sleeve stop means to limit travel of said sampling end.

Claim 7

The endometrial sampler of claim 4 in which said tube further provides a connector remote from said sampling end, said connector being engageable with a source of suction.

Claim 8

In combination with a source of suction, an endo-metrial sampler comprising a rigid hollow tube having a connector for engagement with said source of suction a sampling end remote from said connector and providing a closed tip of larger outer diameter than said tube end a plurality of sampling ports communicating with the interior of said tube sleeve stop means remote from said sampling end a portion of said tube adjacent said sampling end and remote from said tip being smoothly curved through an acute angle and flexible sleeve means surrounding said tube and slidable with respect to it, said sleeve means being shorter than the length of said tube between said tip and said sleeve stop means and of outer diameter approximately equal to that of said tip said sleeve means and said tube being reciprocable with respect to one another between a sampling position in which said sleeve means exposes at least one said sampling port, and a second position in which said sleeve means engages said tip and seals said sampling ports, said sleeve means conforming to said smoothly curved portion during reciprocation, said sleeve means further providing cervical stop means for engaging the cervix of a patient, said cervical stop means cooperating with said sleeve stop means to limit travel of said sampling end.

Claim 9

In combination with a source of suction, an endo-metrial sampler comprising a rigid hollow tube having a connector for engagement with said source of suction a sampling end remote from said connector and providing a closed tip of larger outer diameter than said tube end a plurality of sampling ports communicating with the interior of said tube sleeve stop means remote from said sampling end a portion of said tube adjacent said sampling end and remote from said tip being smoothly curved through an acute angle and flexible sleeve means surrounding said tube and slidable with respect to it, said sleeve means being shorter than the length of said tube between said tip and said sleeve stop means and of outer diameter approximately equal to that of said tip said sleeve means and said tube being reciprocable with respect to one another between a sampling position in which said sleeve means exposes at least one said sampling port, and a second position in which said sleeve means engages said tip and seals said sampling ports, said sleeve means conforming to said smoothly curved portion during reciprocation, said sleeve means further providing cervical stop means for engaging the cervix of a patient, said cervical stop means cooperating with said sleeve stop means to limit travel of said sampling end.

Claim 10

In combination with a source of suction, an endometrial sampler comprising a rigid hollow metal tube of outer diameter of about 0.07 inch and inner diameter of about 0.05 inch, and having a connector end engageable with said source of suction a sampling end remote from said connector end providing a smoothly rounded closed tip of outer diameter of about 0.10 inch, and a plurality of sampling ports communicating with the interior of said tube a portion of said tube adjacent said sampling end and remote from said tip being smoothly curved through an angle of about 40* and flexible sleeve means surrounding said tube and slidable with respect to it, said connector end providing a shoulder engageable with said sleeve means said sleeve means being shorter than the length of said tube between said tip and said shoulder and of outer diameter approximately equal to that of said tip said sleeve means and said tube being reciprocable with respect to one another between a sampling position in which said sleeve means exposes at least one said sampling port for the application of suction through said tube, and a second position in which said sleeve means engages said tip and seals said sampling ports, said sleeve means conforming to said smoothly curved portion during reciprocation, said sleeve means further providing rigidly connected cervical stop means for engaging the cervix of a patient, said cervical stop means cooperating with said shoulder to limit travel of said sampling end.

Claim 11

In combination with a source of suction, an endometrial sampler comprising a rigid hollow metal tube of outer diameter of about 0.07 inch and inner diameter of about 0.05 inch, and having a connector end engageable with said source of suction a sampling end remote from said connector end providing a smoothly rounded closed tip of outer diameter of about 0.10 inch, and a plurality of sampling ports communicating with the interior of said tube a portion of said tube adjacent said sampling end and remote from said tip being smoothly curved through an angle of about 40* and flexible sleeve means surrounding said tube and slidable with respect to it, said connector end providing a shoulder engageable with said sleeve means said sleeve means being shorter than the length of said tube between said tip and said shoulder and of outer diameter approximately equal to that of said tip said sleeve means and said tube being reciprocable with respect to one another between a sampling position in which said sleeve means exposes at least one said sampling port for the application of suction through said tube, and a second position in which said sleeve means engages said tip and seals said sampling ports, said sleeve means conforming to said smoothly curved portion during reciprocation, said sleeve means further providing rigidly connected cervical stop means for engaging the cervix of a patient, said cervical stop means cooperating with said shoulder to limit travel of said sampling end.

Claim 12

The sampler of claim 1, wherein said tube is malleable for shaping to anatomical conformation.