Patent ID: 8679032

Claim:
A tissue removal device, comprising: a tissue receiving cannula defining a tissue receiving opening near a distal end thereof and a tissue receiving cannula lumen in fluid communication with the tissue receiving opening formed in a sidewall of the tissue receiving cannula, the tissue receiving opening being configured to receive a tissue sample positioned adjacent the tissue receiving opening; a cutting cannula defining an open distal end, a vacuum inlet, and a cutting cannula lumen in fluid communication with the cutting cannula open distal end and the vacuum inlet, wherein the cutting cannula is disposed coaxially with the tissue receiving cannula, the cutting cannula being slidable axially along the tissue receiving cannula for cutting a tissue sample protruding into the tissue receiving opening when the cutting cannula slides past the tissue receiving opening; vacuum chamber walls defining a vacuum chamber configurable to be in fluid communication with the tissue receiving cannula lumen and the tissue receiving opening; and a trigger configured such that actuation of the trigger will cause the cutting cannula to slide axially along the tissue receiving cannula, wherein the cutting cannula extends into the vacuum chamber, and wherein the tissue receiving cannula and the cutting cannula are configured such that relative movement of one of the tissue receiving cannula and the cutting cannula with respect to the other moves the vacuum inlet into communication with the vacuum chamber, thereby placing the vacuum chamber in communication with the tissue receiving opening before the cutting cannula advances distally over the tissue receiving opening.