Patent ID: 7384400

Claim:
A biopsy needle for removal of tissue from a patient comprising: an outer tube having a distal end section that has an inner diameter (ID tip ); an inner tube within said outer tube; and a snare having a first proximal end connected to the inner tube and a second distal end coupled to the outer tube and having an inner distal diameter (ID sc ), wherein the distal end section with inner diameter (ID tip ) is more distally located relative to the snare when the snare is coupled to the outer tube, wherein said snare has a variable diameter that is controlled by rotation of the inner tube with respect to the outer tube in a prescribed direction resulting in the opening and closing, respectively, of the snare, wherein a ratio (R)=(ID sc )/(ID tip ) is greater than 1; and wherein a first axially directed coupling element is located at the distal end of the snare and the outer tube includes a second axially directed coupling element that is complementary to and designed to engage the first axially directed coupling element at the second end of the snare for coupling the snare to the outer tube.