Patent ID: RE38776

Claim:
In an apparatus for surgically removing tissue samples of different sizes including, a canula having a central lumen, a stylet slidably mounted within said lumen and having a sample holding notch adjacent a distal end, and a control assembly connected to the canula and the stylet for controlling relative movement between the canula and the stylet during tissue sample removal, the improved apparatus for selecting tissue sample size comprising: a. a tissue sample size selector means connected to the canula and slidably mounted for axial movement in the control assembly, wherein proximal movement of the selector means causes proximal movement of the canula , thereby determining subsequent positioning of the cannula relative to the stylet notch; b. detent means mounted on the control assembly for releasibly holding the selector means in any one of a plurality of selectable tissue sample size settings; c. a spring biased against the proximal axial movement of the selector means; and d. manual release means for selectively releasing the selector means from the detent means following placement of the stylet for tissue sample removal, whereby the spring causes distal axial movement of the canula relative to the stylet to cut a tissue sample of a selected size into the notch.