Abstract:
Improved biopsy forceps include pivotally coupled self aligning jaws with drainage holes therethrough. The biopsy forceps include a pair of jaw members that include cup shaped jaws. The biopsy forces may be formed by a series of metal etching and forming operations to allow the manufacture of the biopsy forceps using high volume manufacturing techniques.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/561,035 filed Nov. 17, 2011 and titled BIOPSY FORCEPS INCLUDING JAWS WITH DRAINAGE OPENINGS. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The present invention relates generally to biopsy forceps and, more specifically, to biopsy forceps having self aligning jaws and drainage openings through the jaws. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Biopsies are a common medical procedure in which a tissue sample is taken from a patient for further analysis using biopsy forceps. Various designs of biopsy forceps are known for this purpose. Typical biopsy forceps include a pair of jaws that can be opened and closed manually by a physician to excise a small sample of tissue. Biopsy forceps designs are often complex and costly to produce due to the need to provide a precision medical device with precisely aligned jaws. Biopsy forceps are often considered single use devices, i.e. they are disposed of following a single use. Given the large number of biopsies that are performed and given that they are typically single use devices, it is desirable to be able to produce these devices at high volumes and at low cost. The complexity of biopsy forceps design involves the need to provide a precision medical device at low cost. 
         [0005]    Additionally, when tissue samples are obtained, they often include substantial liquid content with the tissue sample. The liquid content reduces the size of the tissue sample that that be obtained for a given jaw size. 
         [0006]    It would therefore be desirable to have biopsy forceps that could be produced using high volume manufacturing techniques that avoided the disadvantages of known biopsy forceps. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Improved biopsy forceps are disclosed that have self aligning jaws and drainage openings. The biopsy forces includes a jaw assembly having a pair of pivotally interconnected jaw members. Each jaw member has a cup shaped jaw at one end. When pivotally interconnected, the jaws are in opposed relation and can be manually opened and closed. The jaws have a peripheral edge that is sharpened or that includes teeth to facilitate the cutting of tissue upon closure of the opposed jaws. 
         [0008]    One embodiment of the jaws includes beveled offset self aligning teeth along the peripheral edge of the jaw that provide for clean cutting of tissue. Another embodiment includes teeth that are generally pyramidally shaped with beveled surfaces. Alternatively, a single sharpened peripheral edge on either side of the jaw cooperates with a single sharpened edge on either side of the opposed jaw to provide cutting edges to sever tissue upon closure of the opposed jaws. The teeth in opposed jaws are configured and cooperative to provide self-alignment of the jaws upon closure thereof. 
         [0009]    The jaws include at least one fenestration hole or opening through the jaw to allow for the drainage of liquid therethrough. The openings through the opposed jaws allow for the capture of a greater amount of tissue for the same jaw size and additionally, allow for captured tissue to be more easily rinsed off in view of the improved drainage from the jaws. 
         [0010]    Other features, aspects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the Drawings and the Detailed Description of the Invention that follow. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the Detailed Description of the Invention in conjunction with the drawings of which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1   a  is an illustration of one embodiment of a jaw member for use in biopsy forceps in which the jaw includes generally pyramidally shaped self aligning teeth and fenestration holes for improved drainage in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 1   b  illustrates a blank used in the fabrication of the jaw member of  FIG. 1   a  following etching of the blank; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2   a  is another embodiment of a jaw member including offset beveled self aligning teeth and fenestration holes for use in the fabrication of biopsy forceps in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2   b  is a blank used in the fabrication of a jaw member having offset beveled self-aligning teeth and fenestration holes through the jaw for use in the fabrication of biopsy forceps in accordance with the present invention; and 
           [0016]      FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  depict biopsy forceps with alternative actuation members for opening and closing the jaws of biopsy forceps such as illustrated in  FIGS. 1   a  and  2   a.    
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0017]    The disclosure of U.S. Provisional patent application No. 61/561,035 filed Nov. 17, 2011 and titled Biopsy Forceps Including Jaws with Drainage Openings is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1   a  illustrates a jaw member  100  that is employed in one embodiment of biopsy forceps in accordance with the present invention. The jaw member  100  includes a concave cup shaped jaw portion  102  that includes an array of openings or fenestration holes  104  to allow for the drainage of liquid therethrough upon acquisition of a tissue specimen. Additionally, the drainage holes allow for more thorough rinsing of the tissue sample. The cup shaped jaw  102  has a peripheral edge  106  having teeth  108   a ,  108   b  extending therefrom. The jaw members  100  and components of the biopsy forceps are fabricated of stainless steel or any other suitable medical grade material. The teeth  108   a  on one side of the cup shaped portion  102  are configured and offset from the teeth  108   b  on the opposite side of the cup shaped portion  102  so that the teeth of opposed jaws mesh when the opposing jaws  102  are closed. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1   a , the teeth  108   a  and  108   b  are generally pyramidally shaped and are arranged on the peripheral edge  106  of the jaw  102  such that the teeth  108   a  of one jaw member  100  mesh with the teeth  108   b  of an opposed jaw member  100  when two jaw members  100  are pivotally coupled as subsequently discussed. The generally pyramidally shaped teeth have surfaces that engage surfaces of offset generally pyramidally shaped teeth of the opposing jaw to self align the jaws upon closure. Two of the jaw members  100  having the same shape, may be pivotally coupled to form the biopsy forceps with the teeth of each jaw  102  disposed between teeth of the opposing jaw when the jaws  102  of the opposed jaw members  100  are closed. The teeth on one side of the jaw are offset from the teeth on the opposite side of the same jaw to allow the teeth to mesh when two of the jaw members of the same shape are pivotally mated. While it is noted that it is desirable for the jaw members to have the same shape to facilitate high volume and low cost manufacture of the same, it should be recognized that the tooth patterns may be specified so that the jaws achieve self alignment but opposing jaw members do not have the same configuration. In this circumstance, two different jaw members would need to be manufactured. 
         [0019]    The cup shaped jaws  102  include a distal end at the frontal or leading edge of the jaw and a proximal end at the rearward end of the cup shaped jaw  102 . A pair of opposed flanges  110   a,    110   b  extend from the proximal end of the cup shaped jaw  102 . The flanges  110   a,    110   b  include opposed coaxially aligned openings defining a pivot axis  112 . Two of the jaws members  100  are pivotally coupled via a pivot pin  220  that extends through coaxially aligned openings in the flanges  110   a,    110   b  of the opposed jaw members  100 . 
         [0020]    An actuation arm  114  extends from the flange  110   a  of each jaw member  100  and is formed integrally and as a single piece therewith. When the jaw members  100  are pivotally coupled, actuation members  222   a,    222   b  are coupled to each actuation arm  114  as depicted in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , respectively. Movement of the actuation arm  114  away from the pivot axis  112  via the actuation members (generally downward as illustrated in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b ) causes the jaws  102  of the biopsy forceps to close and movement of the actuation arm  114  toward the pivot axis  112  (generally upward in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  as shown) causes the jaws of the biopsy forceps to open. 
         [0021]    The jaws members  100  of the presently disclosed biopsy forceps are fabricated by first etching a generally planar blank and then forming the jaw  102  into the configuration illustrated in  FIG. 1   a . The etching process includes etching of the planar blank to form the teeth  108   a,    108   b  as well as the array of fenestration holes  104 . 
         [0022]    Another embodiment of a jaw member  200  for use in biopsy forceps in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 2   a . The jaw member  200  and components of the biopsy forceps are fabricated of stainless steel or any other suitable medical grade material. The jaw member  200  includes a cup shaped jaw  202  having an array of fenestration holes  204  formed therethrough to allow for drainage of liquid. The cup shaped jaw  202  includes a peripheral edge  206  having a plurality of teeth  208   a,    208   b  extending therefrom. The teeth  208   a  on one side of the jaw are beveled and offset laterally from the teeth  208   b  on the opposing side of the same jaw. A pair of jaw members  200  of the type illustrated in  FIG. 2   a  are employed to produce the biopsy forceps. More specifically, at least some of the teeth along the peripheral edge  206  of each of the jaws  202  include a tooth surface that is slanted outwardly away from the cup shaped jaw of the respective jaw and at least some of the teeth along the peripheral edge of each of the jaws  202  include a tooth surface that is slanted inwardly toward the cup shaped portion of the respective jaw  202 . Outwardly and inwardly slanted tooth surfaces of opposed jaws are disposed in opposed relation and cooperative to provide self alignment of the jaws upon closure of the opposed jaws and engagement of the opposed inwardly and outwardly slanted tooth surfaces. 
         [0023]    The jaw members  200  include flanges  210   a,    210   b  having openings therethrough defining a pivot axis  212 . Flanges  210   a  include an actuation arm  214  integrally formed therewith as a single piece for attachment of an actuating member  222   a,    222   b.  The actuating arm  214  of each jaw member  200  includes an opening  216  for coupling the actuating member thereto. As illustrated in  FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b , actuating members  222   a,    222   b,  may be in the form of pivotally coupled flanges or rod-like linkages. 
         [0024]    When a pair of jaw members  200  are pivotably coupled with the teeth of the respective jaws  202  in opposed relation, as a result of the beveling of teeth on opposed jaws and the positioning of the teeth along the peripheral edge of the jaws, upon closure of the jaws, the teeth serve to provide for self alignment of the jaws  202  with respect to one another. While plural teeth are shown on either side of a center line  215  bisecting a jaw  202 , is should be appreciated that a single tooth or knife edge may be provided on each side of the centerline  215  along the peripheral edge  206 . When a pair of jaw members  200  are pivotally coupled, the teeth or tooth  208   a  of one jaw  202  oppose the teeth or tooth  208   b  of the other jaw  202  so that upon closure of the jaws, the tissue is cleanly severed. 
         [0025]    The actuating members  222   a,    222   b  are pivotally coupled to the actuating arms  114 ,  214  as illustrated in  FIG. 3   a  or  3   b  to provide for opening and closure of the jaws  102 ,  202  respectively. 
         [0026]    As discussed in conjunction with  FIG. 1   b , the jaw member  200  is formed by first etching a blank, such as illustrated in  FIG. 2   b  and then forming the etched blank to obtain the cup shaped jaw member  200 . 
         [0027]    In the above-discussed examples, the jaw members  100 ,  200  each include a pair of opposed flanges. It should be recognized that each jaw members may be fabricated with either one or two flanges. The provision of two flanges should provide more consistent alignment of the jaws since the pivot pin extends through two coaxially aligned openings in each jaw member when two flanges per jaw member are provided. 
         [0028]    It should also be appreciated that variations of and modifications to the above-described biopsy forceps may be made without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein.