Patent ID: 8366636

Claim:
A handheld biopsy device for harvesting at least one tissue sample from a suspect tissue mass in a body of a living being, comprising: a hollow needle including a distal end having a circumferential cutting edge; a needle driving member secured to the hollow needle; a sample-receiving device with a cavity configured to receive a severed tissue sample, the sample-receiving device configured to be received in the hollow needle and movable therein; a first user-operable firing mechanism configured to cause the hollow needle and the sample-receiving device to be longitudinally displaced in a distal direction, so as to penetrate body tissue at or near the suspect tissue mass; a second user-operable firing mechanism configured to cause the hollow needle to be longitudinally displaced relative to the sample-receiving device in a distal direction from a first position, in which the sample-receiving device projects from the distal end of the hollow needle, to a second position, in which the hollow needle essentially accommodates the cavity of the sample-receiving device, so as to sever the tissue sample from remaining body tissue at the harvesting site; and a handle unit, which completely contains the first and second user-operable firing mechanisms, the first and second user-operable firing mechanisms being configured for selectable operation between a first mode in which the first user-operable firing mechanism and the second user-operable firing mechanism are fired in sequence to facilitate harvesting of the tissue sample, and a second mode in which only the second user-operable firing mechanism is fired to facilitate the harvesting of the tissue sample, and wherein the hollow needle, the sample-receiving device and the needle driving member are comprised in a disposable unit, which is releasably attached to the handle unit.