Patent ID: 8617086

Claim:
A method for obtaining a full thickness biopsy of the wall of a stomach of a patient, comprising: obtaining an apparatus comprising: a cannula comprising: a proximal cannula end comprising a cutting edge; and a distal cannula end comprising a biased spring, the biased spring being coupled to a needle carrier and a releasable lock; and a needle disposed within the cannula and carried on the needle carrier, the needle comprising: a tip; a flange; a notch portion comprising a notch thickness; and a shaft comprising a shaft thickness; where the shaft thickness is greater than the notch thickness and the releasable lock is configured to hold the cannula in a withdrawn position relative to the needle; creating an incision through the skin of the patient; inserting the apparatus into the incision; advancing the apparatus through the abdominal wall and the stomach wall of the patient; withdrawing the cannula relative to the needle; locking the cannula with the releasable lock; aligning the notch portion such that the notch portion straddles the stomach wall; releasing the releasable lock such that the cutting edge of the cannula passes completely through the stomach wall creating a full-thickness biopsy; and withdrawing the apparatus from the patient.