Patent ID: 9017357
Filing Date: 2015-04-28
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A puncture apparatus comprising: a supporting member; a puncture member rotatably mounted on the supporting member to rotate about a rotation center, the puncture member possessing a distal end portion, at least a portion of the rotatable puncture member being bent or curved, the distal end portion of the puncture member constituting a needle tip which rotates together with the puncture member and is configured to puncture living body tissue as the puncture member is rotated about the rotation center; a vaginal-insertion assembly mounted on the supporting member and positionable in a vagina to assist in properly locating the puncture member, the vaginal-insertion assembly comprising a vaginal-insertion member and an inserter connected to the vaginal-insertion member; the inserter possessing a distal-most end portion, and the vaginal-insertion member possessing a distal-most end portion; the inserter being connected to the vaginal-insertion member so that the distal-most end portion of the inserter is located distally beyond the distal-most end portion of the vaginal-insertion member such that during insertion of the vaginal-insertion assembly into the vagina the distal-most end portion of the inserter enters the vagina before the distal-most end portion of the vaginal-insertion member enters the vagina; the distal-most end portion of the inserter possessing an outer dimension, and the distal-most end portion of the vaginal-insertion member possessing an outer dimension, the outer dimension of the distal-most end portion of the inserter being less than the outer dimension of the distal-most end portion of the vaginal-insertion member; and the vaginal-insertion member and the inserter being movable relative to each other to reduce a distance between a distal-most end of the inserter and a distal-most end of the vaginal-insertion member after inserting the vaginal insertion assembly into the vagina so that the vaginal-insertion member is advanced forward into the vagina after the vaginal-insertion assembly is initially positioned in the vagina.