Patent Description:
For the sake of clarity it is nevertheless considered expedient that the following description concentrates on the application of the endoluminal biopsy tool of the invention in ductoscopy.

Early detection of breast cancer plays a vital role in increasing the survival rate of women. Current breast cancer diagnosis modalities, such as mammography and echography, play an important role in the primary screening for breast cancer. MRI plays a vital role in primary screening to diagnose lesions, treatment selection, progression monitoring, and in determining cancer recurrence. However, by the time a lump is felt by the patient herself or with currently clinically available diagnostic tools, the lesion has been growing for approximately <NUM> years and is usually between Ø5-<NUM> in size.

A minimally invasive micro-endoscopic technique called mammary ductoscopy is expected to allow for early breast cancer detection. Mammary ductoscopy allows for the visualization of some of the earliest lesions in situ (Ø0. <NUM>) long before traditional imaging modalities, such as mammography, ultrasound, and MRI would allow detection. In mammary ductoscopy, a submillimetre fibreoptic micro-endoscope is inserted through one of the ductal openings onto the nipple surface of the breast to get direct access to the ductal epithelium.

<CIT> discloses a tool usable in mammary ductoscopy, which tool comprises in accordance with the preamble (a) a substantially cylindrical cannula with a proximal end and a distal end, said cannula having at least one lateral opening, and (b) an endoscope (in connection with the intended application also referred to as ductoscope) which is axially movable inside the cannula. The at least one lateral opening of the cannula has at least in part a cutting region at its area being directed towards the distal end and/or at its area being directed towards the proximal end. In use a tissue sample is brought through the lateral opening into an interior of the cannula, and the tissue sample is separated from the rest of the tissue by moving the endoscope forward across the lateral opening and/or by retracting the endoscope, until the lateral opening is closed. In another embodiment of taking a biopsy the tissue sample is brought through the lateral opening into an interior of the cannula, and the tissue sample is separated from the rest of the tissue by moving the cannula with the lateral opening together with the fixed endoscope forward or backward, thereby manually exerting a gentle pressure against the tissue sample.

A major disadvantage of the tool known from <CIT> is that taking the biopsy requires moving the endoscope or as it is called in this application the 'ductoscope', which implies that at the supreme moment of taking the biopsy the sight at actually taking the biopsy is lost.

An endoluminal biopsy tool according to the preamble of claim <NUM> is known from <CIT>.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide such a tool which is amongst others usable in mammary ductoscopy, and which provides the possibility to maintain sight during the process of actually taking the biopsy.

According to the invention an endoluminal biopsy tool is therefore proposed with the features of one or more of the appended claims.

In a first aspect and embodiment of the endoluminal biopsy tool of the invention, which tool comprises an outer tube and an instrument movably provided in the outer tube, the outer tube is provided with a tongue extending from a distal portion of the outer tube, and the instrument is an inner tube movably fitting inside the outer tube, wherein the inner tube has a wall that is provided with a cut out which is closable with the tongue.

There are several options that the tongue can close off the cut out. The cut out can for instance be closable by a translational advancing movement of the outer tube with respect to the inner tube.

By the advancing movement of the outer tube with respect to the inner tube the biopsy is taken from the tissue of interest. In that situation it is preferred that the tongue has a forward cutting edge.

Another option is that the cut out is closable by a rotational movement of the outer tube and the inner tube with respect to each other. Then with the rotational movement the biopsy is taken from the tissue of interest. The ease of taking the biopsy is then promoted by arranging that the tongue has cutting side edges.

In a second aspect and embodiment of the invention the outer tube and the inner tube are translational and/or rotationally movable with respect to each other, the inner tube is provided with a bevelled distal portion, and the tongue is provided with a preferential position wherein the tongue closes off the bevelled distal portion of the inner tube when the inner tube is placed in a partially retracted position with reference to the outer tube. The benefit of this feature is that by rotating or moving the outer tube forward and keeping the inner tube stationary, the tongue can be brought up to the point that it closes off the bevelled distal portion of the inner tube. During the rotational or forward movement of the tongue it can separate the biopsy from the tissue of interest and assist in moving the biopsy into the inner tube.

The operation of the tongue for closing off the distal portion of the inner tube and for taking the biopsy, is supported by the feature that the tongue has a preferential position wherein the tongue protrudes obliquely towards the inner tube when the tongue is unloaded.

Suitably therefore the tongue is resiliently mounted in an oblique position on the distal portion of the outer tube.

The first embodiment and the second embodiment can be applied independently and separately from each other. When the first embodiment and the second embodiment are combined it is preferable that the cut out is closable with the tongue when the inner tube extends beyond the distal portion of the outer tube, wherein the tongue is loaded by and engages the inner tube.

Suitably when the tongue is loaded by the inner tube, the tongue assumes an essentially straight orientation with reference to the outer tube.

In one embodiment the outer tube is embodied with a further cut out, having dimensions that are substantially the same as the dimensions of the cut out in the inner tube. The further cut out of this embodiment can effectively be used for cutting loose the biopsy tissue, in particular when the further cut out has cutting side edges.

The further cut out can be realized in different ways. The further cut out can be similar in shape to the cut out provided in the inner tube. It is however also possible that the further cut out extends through and is open at the distal portion of the outer tube.

The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of an exemplary embodiment of an endoluminal biopsy tool according to the invention that is not limiting as to the appended claims. The exemplary embodiments refers to the application of the endoluminal biopsy tool in ductoscopy, but this is only for explanatory purposes without intention to restrict the scope of protection to the use of the endoluminal biopsy tool in ductoscopy.

Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same parts.

For a proper understanding of how the endoluminal biopsy tool may be used, <FIG> shows a schematic of current use of a ductoscope <NUM> in conjunction with a lumen expander <NUM>, a cannula <NUM> and a specialized handle <NUM> that contains <NUM> or <NUM> lumens; one lumen for the ductoscope <NUM>, one irrigation lumen <NUM> (in order to prevent the breast milk ducts from collapsing), and one lumen for an additional tool or treatment modality <NUM>, such as insufflation, ductal lavage, and possible therapeutic interventions. The two main functions of the lumen expander <NUM> are <NUM>) to provide access to the breast milk ducts via the nipple surface and <NUM>) to extend the milk duct lumen. The cannula <NUM> provides a conduit for the ductoscope <NUM>, a therapeutic tool <NUM>, and irrigation <NUM>. Irrigation is used to gently dilate the milk duct of interest using saline and allow for advancement of the ductoscope <NUM> into the duct until further advancement is no longer possible due to the size of the cannula (Ø1. <NUM>-<NUM>). The lumen of the lumen expander <NUM> for the additional tool or treatment modality <NUM> is used for introduction of the endoluminal biopsy tool <NUM> of the invention into the breast under examination.

<FIG> show the endoluminal biopsy tool <NUM> of the invention. All figures show that the tool <NUM> comprises an outer tube <NUM> and an inner tube <NUM>.

<FIG> show aspects of a first embodiment of the biopsy tool <NUM> of the invention, wherein the outer tube <NUM> is provided with a tongue <NUM> extending from a distal portion <NUM> of the outer tube <NUM>, and the inner tube <NUM> movably fits inside the outer tube <NUM>. It is essential in this first embodiment that the inner tube <NUM> has a wall <NUM>' that is provided with a cut out <NUM> which is closable with the tongue <NUM>. The cut out <NUM> can for instance be closed by a translational advancing movement of the outer tube <NUM> with respect to the inner tube <NUM>. For that purpose it is preferred that the tongue <NUM> has a forward cutting edge <NUM>". It is also possible to close off the cut out <NUM> by a rotational movement of the outer tube <NUM> and the inner tube <NUM> with respect to each other. For that situation it is preferred that the tongue <NUM> has cutting side edges <NUM>'.

Other features that are not necessarily present in the first embodiment and that relate to a second embodiment are also shown in <FIG>. These other features will be referred to hereinafter predominantly with reference to <FIG>.

In the second embodiment it is essential that the outer tube <NUM> and the inner tube <NUM> are translationally and/or rotationally movable with respect to each other. <FIG> shows that in this second embodiment the inner tube <NUM> has a bevelled distal portion <NUM>. The fact that this is also shown in <FIG> depicts that the first and the second embodiment may be combined.

<FIG> further shows that the tongue <NUM> is provided with a preferential position wherein the tongue <NUM> closes off the bevelled distal portion <NUM> of the inner tube <NUM> when the inner tube <NUM> is placed in a partially retracted position with reference to the outer tube <NUM>. This can be effectuated by a rotational movement of the outer tube <NUM> and the inner tube <NUM> with reference to each other, or by moving the outer tube <NUM> forward (as symbolized by arrow A) and keeping the inner tube <NUM> stationary. The latter movement causes that the tongue <NUM> likewise moves forward up to the point that it can close off the bevelled distal portion <NUM> of the inner tube <NUM>. This is the situation shown in <FIG>. During the forward movement of the tongue <NUM> it can separate the biopsy from the tissue of interest and assist in moving the biopsy into the inner tube <NUM>.

One thing and another is preferably realized in that the tongue is movable between two positions, one position being preferable wherein the tongue <NUM> protrudes obliquely towards the inner tube <NUM> when the tongue <NUM> is unloaded. This is shown in <FIG>. This can be suitably arranged by the feature that the tongue <NUM> is resiliently mounted in an oblique position on the distal portion <NUM> of the outer tube <NUM>.

The other position of the tongue <NUM> comes in play when the tongue <NUM> is loaded by and engages the inner tube <NUM>, wherein the tongue <NUM> assumes an essentially straight orientation with reference to the outer tube <NUM>. This is shown in <FIG>. Since these figures also show features of the first embodiment, the loaded position of the tongue <NUM> can then be used, as the figures show, to close off the cut out <NUM> with the tongue <NUM>. It is then required that the inner tube <NUM> extends beyond the distal portion <NUM> of the outer tube <NUM>.

In the two embodiments shown in <FIG>, and <FIG> respectively, in addition to the features discussed above with reference to the embodiment of <FIG>, the outer tube <NUM> is embodied with a further cut out <NUM>, having dimensions that are substantially the same as the dimensions of the cut out <NUM> in the inner tube <NUM>. This further cut out <NUM> also has a cutting functionality for the biopsy tissue. This is beneficially achieved in that the further cut out <NUM> has cutting side edges <NUM>'. Rotation of the outer tube <NUM> with reference to the inner tube <NUM> when the cut out <NUM> in the inner tube <NUM> and the further cut out <NUM> in the outer tube <NUM> are overlaying with each other, results in scissor like cutting of tissue that is received in the cut outs <NUM>, <NUM>. The way this operates is clear from comparing <FIG> with <FIG> and from comparing <FIG> with <FIG>. The difference between the two embodiments shown in <FIG>, and <FIG> respectively is that in <FIG> the further cut out <NUM> extends through and is open at the distal portion <NUM> of the outer tube <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG> the distal portion <NUM> of the outer tube <NUM> is closed in itself.

Claim 1:
An endoluminal biopsy tool (<NUM>), said tool (<NUM>) comprising an outer tube (<NUM>), and an instrument provided in the outer tube (<NUM>), wherein the outer tube (<NUM>) and the instrument are movable with respect to each other for taking the biopsy,
wherein the instrument is an inner tube (<NUM>) movably fitting inside the outer tube (<NUM>), wherein the inner tube (<NUM>) has a wall (<NUM>') that is provided with a cut out (<NUM>),
characterized in that the outer tube (<NUM>) is provided with a tongue (<NUM>) extending from a distal portion (<NUM>) of the outer tube (<NUM>), and further characterised in that the cut out (<NUM>) in the wall (<NUM>') of the inner tube (<NUM>) is closable with the tongue (<NUM>).