Biopsy needle set

Claim 1

A biopsy needle set comprising: an outer cannula; an inner cannula; said outer cannula having an outer distal end with an outer opening; said inner cannula having an inner distal end with an inner opening; said inner cannula rotatably mounted inside said outer cannula; said needle set having an open position wherein said inner opening is located adjacent said outer opening, and a closed position wherein said outer cannula covers the inner opening; said outer cannula has a first longitudinal axis; said inner cannula has a second longitudinal axis; said inner cannula is rotatably mounted about the second longitudinal axis; said outer cannula has an outer distal pointed tip; said inner cannula has an inner distal pointed tip which mates inside of the outer distal pointed tip and is held in place inside the outer distal pointed tip in order to allow the inner cannula and the outer cannula to rotate relative to each other; said outer opening of said outer cannula has a first cutting edge thereon; said inner opening of said inner cannula has a second cutting edge thereon; wherein said first cutting edge is provided down to approximately the first longitudinal axis at the outer distal pointed tip of the outer cannula and said second cutting edge is provided down to approximately the second longitudinal axis at the inner distal pointed tip of the inner cannula so that with the needle set in said open position, the inner distal pointed tip nests inside of the outer distal pointed tip; and wherein the first and second cutting edge are without serrations in order to facilitate the slicing off of tissue as the needle set is urged past tissue along a direction co-linear with the first and second longitudinal axis.

Claim 7

A method of making a needle set comprising the steps of: selecting a first needle with a first longitudinal body, having a first longitudinal axis, and a first distal end; selecting a second needle with a second longitudinal body, having a second longitudinal axis that is co-linear with the first longitudinal axis, and a second distal end, which second needle that fits inside and is rotatable inside of the first needle; creating a first opening In said first longitudinal body adjacent to the first distal end, wherein said first opening extends to approximately one half of a diameter of said first longitudinal body at said first distal end; creating a second opening In said second longitudinal body adjacent to the second distal, wherein said second opening extends to approximately one half of a diameter of said second longitudinal body at said second distal end; with the needle set in an open position pursuant to the rotation of the first needle relative to the second needle, ensuring that the first opening is adjacent to the second opening; with the needle set in a closed position pursuant to the rotation of the first needle relative to the second needle, ensuring that the first longitudinal body covers the second opening; selecting said first needle to be a first pencil pointed needle, with the first opening extending through the first distal end of the first pencil pointed needle; selecting said second needle to be a second pencil pointed needle with the second opening extending through the second distal end of the second pencil pointed needle; providing a first edge on said first opening which first edge is without serrations; and providing a second edge on said second opening which second edge is without serrations.

Claim 8

A method of making a needle set comprising the steps of: selecting a first needle with a first longitudinal body, having a first longitudinal axis, and a first distal end; selecting a second needle with a second longitudinal body, having a second longitudinal axis that is co-linear with the first longitudinal axis, and a second distal end, which second needle that fits inside and is rotatable inside of the first needle; creating a first opening In said first longitudinal body adjacent to the first distal end, wherein said first opening extends to approximately one half of a diameter of said first longitudinal body at said first distal end; creating a second opening In said second longitudinal body adjacent to the second distal, wherein said second opening extends to approximately one half of a diameter of said second longitudinal body at said second distal end; with the needle set in an open position pursuant to the rotation of the first needle relative to the second needle, ensuring that the first opening is adjacent to the second opening; with the needle set in a closed position pursuant to the rotation of the first needle relative to the second needle, ensuring that the first longitudinal body covers the second opening; selecting said first needle to be a first pencil pointed needle, with the first opening extending through the first distal end of the first pencil pointed needle; selecting said second needle to be a second pencil pointed needle with the second opening extending through the second distal end of the second pencil pointed needle; providing a first edge on said first opening which first edge is without serrations; and providing a second edge on said second opening which second edge is without serrations.

Claim 9

A method of making a biopsy of tissue in a body including the steps of: selecting a needle set which includes: (a) an outer cannula; (b) an inner cannula; (c) said outer cannula having an outer distal end with an outer opening; (d) said inner cannula having an inner distal end with an inner opening; (e) said inner cannula rotatably mounted inside said outer cannula; and (f) said needle set having an open position wherein said inner opening Is located adjacent said outer opening, and a closed position wherein said outer cannula covers the inner opening; (g) said outer cannula has a first longitudinal axis; (h) said inner cannula has a second longitudinal axis; (i) said inner cannula is rotatably mounted about the second longitudinal axis; (j) said outer cannula has an outer distal pointed tip; (k) said inner cannula has an inner distal pointed tip which mates inside of the outer distal pointed tip and is held in place inside the outer distal pointed tip in order to allow the inner cannula and the outer cannula to rotate relative to each other; (l) said outer opening of said outer cannula has a first cutting edge thereon; (m) said inner opening of said inner cannula has a second cutting edge thereon; (n) wherein said first cutting edge is provided down to approximately the first longitudinal axis at the outer distal pointed tip of the outer cannula and said second cutting edge is provided down to approximately the second longitudinal axis at the inner distal pointed tip of the inner cannula so that with the needle set in said open position, the inner distal pointed tip nests inside of the outer distal pointed tip; inserting said needle set in the body; said inserting step includes inserting the needle set into the body adjacent to the tissue to be samples; positioning the needle set in the open position; allowing tissue to relax into the needle set; said inserting step then including further inserting the needle set into the body to capture tissue in the needle set as the needle set is being further inserted into the body in order to capture a tissue sample that is longer than the inner opening of the inner cannula; and positioning said needle set in the closed position by rotating said inner cannula to sever the captured tissue.

Claim 10

A method of making a biopsy of tissue in a body including the steps of: selecting a needle set which includes: (a) an outer cannula; (b) an inner cannula; (c) said outer cannula having an outer distal end with an outer opening; (d) said inner cannula having an inner distal end with an inner opening; (e) said inner cannula rotatably mounted inside said outer cannula; and (f) said needle set having an open position wherein said inner opening Is located adjacent said outer opening, and a closed position wherein said outer cannula covers the inner opening; (g) said outer cannula has a first longitudinal axis; (h) said inner cannula has a second longitudinal axis; (i) said inner cannula is rotatably mounted about the second longitudinal axis; (j) said outer cannula has an outer distal pointed tip; (k) said inner cannula has an inner distal pointed tip which mates inside of the outer distal pointed tip and is held in place inside the outer distal pointed tip in order to allow the inner cannula and the outer cannula to rotate relative to each other; (l) said outer opening of said outer cannula has a first cutting edge thereon; (m) said inner opening of said inner cannula has a second cutting edge thereon; (n) wherein said first cutting edge is provided down to approximately the first longitudinal axis at the outer distal pointed tip of the outer cannula and said second cutting edge is provided down to approximately the second longitudinal axis at the inner distal pointed tip of the inner cannula so that with the needle set in said open position, the inner distal pointed tip nests inside of the outer distal pointed tip; inserting said needle set in the body; said inserting step includes inserting the needle set into the body adjacent to the tissue to be samples; positioning the needle set in the open position; allowing tissue to relax into the needle set; said inserting step then including further inserting the needle set into the body to capture tissue in the needle set as the needle set is being further inserted into the body in order to capture a tissue sample that is longer than the inner opening of the inner cannula; and positioning said needle set in the closed position by rotating said inner cannula to sever the captured tissue.