Patent ID: 8489172
Filing Date: 2013-07-16
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A tissue removal system comprising: a suction source; a cannula, comprising an opening arranged to be inserted into a body, the cannula further comprising a lumen, the lumen providing at least a portion of path between the opening and the suction source along which tissue from within the body is removed; a handle for use by an operator to manipulate at least the portion of the cannula comprising the opening, the opening positioned in the body, the manipulating of at least the portion of the cannula comprising the opening comprising at least an advancing and retracting movement of at least the portion of the cannula comprising the opening; a coupler to displaceably couple the handle to the cannula, the handle selectively displaceable between a first configuration in which the coupler couples the handle to the cannula with a coupling force sufficient to allow the manipulating of at least the portion of the cannula comprising the opening, the opening positioned in the body, and a second configuration in which the coupler displaceably couples the handle to the cannula with a coupling force sufficient to interrupt the manipulating of at least the portion of the cannula comprising the opening, opening positioned in the body; at least one sensor; and a system communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor to receive a signal therefrom, the signal indicative of at least one physical characteristic of tissue within the body to which at least the portion of the cannula comprising the opening is positioned at least proximate at least during manipulation of at least the portion of the cannula comprising the opening, the opening positioned in the body, the system configured to discriminate between at least a first tissue type and a second tissue type based on the at least one physical tissue characteristic indicated by the signal received from the at least one sensor, the system communicatively coupled to the coupler and configured to provide control information, the control information correlating the first configuration and the second configuration to a respective one of the first tissue type and the second tissue type that is discriminated by the system based at least on the at least one physical tissue characteristic indicated by the signals received from the at least one sensor.