Patent ID: 7229439

Claim:
An biopsy system for separation of a tissue specimen from a target tissue site and collection of the separated tissue specimen, comprising: a. a handle having a recess in a surface thereof; and b. a biopsy device comprising i. a housing configured to fit within the recess provided in the housing, ii. an elongated probe which has a proximal end disposed within the housing, a distal end, an inner lumen extending within the probe and which has a distal extremity with a plurality of apertures in a wall thereof that is in fluid communication with the inner lumen extending within the probe and with a small transverse dimension less than portions of the probe distal to the distal extremity; and iii. a tissue-cutting blade which is at least partially disposed about the elongated probe, which lies in a plane traversing the longitudinal axis of the probe, which has an inner dimension greater than the small transverse dimension of the distal extremity of the probe, and which is secured to a driving member configured for longitudinal movement along a length of the distal extremity of the probe, and iv. a vacuum tube which has an inner lumen, which has a distal end connected in fluid communication with the inner lumen of the probe member and which has a proximal end configured to be secured to a vacuum source.