Patent ID: 7686770

Claim:
A medical instrument for removing specimens of tissue from a patient's body during a minimally invasive surgical procedure, comprising: (a) an elongated housing having a distal end and a proximal end; (b) an inlet to the housing located near the distal end of the housing; (c) two rotary elements supported directly or indirectly by the housing, one of which is located near the distal end of the housing and the other of which is located closer to the proximal end of the housing; (d) an elongated member selected from the group comprising a flexible member and a bendable member, wherein the elongated member extends around the rotary elements and wherein the elongated member may be made to move in a desired direction by an activation mechanism; and (e) a plurality of anvils located on the elongated, such that when the elongated member is moved, the anvils, in turn, rotate past the at least one opening, and such that when tissue is located in the inlet at least a portion of the tissue is removed by the interaction of the anvil with an edge of the housing, wherein the removed tissue is transported within the housing away from the inlet toward the proximal end of the housing.