Patent ID: 8702621

Claim:
A biopsy apparatus, comprising: a housing; a cannula coupled to the housing and having a lumen, a proximal portion, a closed distal end, and an orifice located on a circumferential surface of the cannula, the orifice being configured to receive a tissue sample into the lumen of the cannula; a cutting sheath coaxially disposed with the cannula, the cutting sheath being configured to be movable relative to the cannula to selectively cover the orifice; a pressure generating device positioned in the housing and coupled to the proximal portion of the cannula, the pressure generating device configured to selectively generate each of a positive pressure and a negative pressure; and a valve positioned in the housing and interposed between the cannula and the pressure generating device, the valve being configured such that a controlled flow of a fluid between the lumen of the cannula and the pressure generating device at each of the positive pressure and the negative pressure must pass through the valve; and an actuator configured to closed the valve to build-up each of a selected one of the positive pressure and the negative pressure in the pressure generating device to a pressure level desired by an operator; and an electronic system control board configured to control the actuator's closing of the valve.