Method for excising core tissue sample

Abstract

Apparatus for safely and accurately positioning the fingertip of a physician (or technician) performing a biopsy procedure, e.g., to excise a core tissue samples of the male prostate or other internal organs, to avoid injury (e.g., a needle stick) from the sharpened distal end of a biopsy needle assembly. Such apparatus comprises an open tubular member defining an elongated passageway through which a biopsy needle assembly, when actuated, can be made to pass and to extend a predetermined distance along an external path in order to effect the core sampling of a biological mass of interest. The tubular housing supports a safety flange at its distal end, such flange having a flat surface adapted to be engaged by the fingertip of the physician prior to actuation of the biopsy needle assembly. Preferably, the engaged surface of the safety flange defines a physical fiducial adapted to be sensed by the user's fingertip, such fiducial being located a predetermined safe distance from the external path traveled by the needle assembly, whereby the physician is assured that his or her fingertip is safely spaced from the needle assembly when actuated, and the distal end of the tubular housing is precisely positioned relative to a biological mass of interest.

1 . A method for biopysing a biological mass located by a fingertip ( 76 ) of a human, said method comprising:
 palpating the biological mass wider the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human,   positioning a distal end ( 2 C) of a housing ( 2 ) next to the biological mass and the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human,   sliding a cannula ( 20 ) and a stylet ( 10 ) through the housing ( 2 ) outwardly from the distal end ( 2 C) to retain a biopsy of the biological mass in the stylet ( 10 ),   retracting the cannula ( 20 ) and the stylet ( 10 ) back into the housing ( 2 ) with the biopsy of the biological mass in the stylet ( 10 ), and   characterized by,   inserting a flange ( 4 A) between the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human and the biological mass to protect the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human from the stylet ( 10 ) and the cannula ( 20 ) as the cannula ( 20 ) and the stylet ( 10 ) are slid outwardly from the housing passageway ( 2 A) to cut and retain a biopsy of the biological mass in the slot of the stylet ( 10 ).   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1  wherein said step of inserting a flange ( 4 A) between the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human and the biological mass to protect the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human from the stylet ( 10 ) and the cannula ( 20 ) as the cannula ( 20 ) and the stylet ( 10 ) are slid outwardly from the housing passageway ( 2 A) to cut and retain a biopsy of the biological mass in the slot of the stylet ( 10 ) is further defined with the distal fiducial ( 6 ) of the flange ( 4 A) touching the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human during positioning of the housing ( 2 ). 
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 1  further including the step of inserting the cannula ( 20 ) and the stylet ( 10 ) into the housing passageway ( 2 A) of the housing ( 2 ). 
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 1  wherein said step of sliding a cannula ( 20 ) and a stylet ( 10 ) through the housing ( 2 ) outwardly from the distal end ( 2 C) to retain a biopsy of the biological mass by the stylet ( 10 ) is further defined by sliding the stylet ( 10 ) outwardly from the cannula ( 20 ) and the distal end ( 2 C) of the housing ( 2 ) and into the biological mass to dispose the biological mass in the slot of the stylet ( 10 ). 
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 4  wherein said step of said step of sliding a cannula ( 20 ) and a stylet ( 10 ) through the housing ( 2 ) outwardly from the distal end ( 2 C) to retain a biopsy of the biological mass by the stylet ( 10 ) is further defined by sliding the cannula ( 20 ) outwardly from the distal end ( 2 C) of the housing ( 2 ) over the slot to cut and retain a biopsy of the biological mass in the slot of the stylet ( 10 ). 
     
     
         6 . A method for biopysing a nodule (N) of a biological mass located by a fingertip of a human and using an apparatus comprising a housing ( 2 ) defining a housing passageway ( 24 ) and having a distal end ( 2 C) with a flange ( 4 A) supported by and extending radially from the distal end ( 2 C) and presenting a distal fiducial ( 6 ) and a cannula ( 20 ) and a stylet ( 10 ) with a radially open slot and with both slidably disposed in the housing passageway ( 2 A), said method comprising;
 palpating the nodule (N) of the biological mass under the fingertip of a human,   positioning the distal end ( 2 C) of the housing ( 2 ) next to the nodule (N) of the biological mass and the fingertip of the human,   inserting the cannula ( 20 ) and the stylet ( 10 ) into the housing passageway ( 24 ) of the housing ( 2 ),   sliding the stylet ( 10 ) outwardly from the cannula ( 20 ) and the distal end ( 2 C) of the housing ( 2 ) and into the nodule (N) of the biological mass to dispose the biological mass in the slot of the stylet ( 10 ),   sliding the cannula ( 20 ) outwardly from the distal end ( 2 C) of the housing ( 2 ) over the slot to cut and retain a biopsy of the biological mass in the slot of the stylet ( 10 ),   retracting the cannula ( 20 ) and the stylet ( 10 ) back into the housing. passageway ( 24 ) with the biopsy of the biological mass in the slot of the stylet ( 10 ), and   characterized by,   inserting the flange ( 44 ) between the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human and the nodule (N) of the biological mass with the distal fiducial ( 6 ) of the flange ( 4 A) touching the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human during positioning of the housing ( 2 ) to protect the fingertip ( 76 ) of the human by the flange ( 4 A) from the stylet ( 10 ) and the cannula ( 20 ) as the cannula ( 20 ) and the stylet ( 10 ) are slid outwardly from the housing passageway ( 2 A) to cut and retain a biopsy of the biological mass in the slot of the stylet ( 10 ).