Patent ID: 7384401

Claim:
A method for detecting identifying and monitoring women at risk of developing OSE-derived carcinomas, which includes the following steps: Obtaining a pap smear from a female patient; Exposing a vaginal fornix of the patient; Employing a device having an introducer needle configured to operably co-receive an optic fiber and a tissue removing member therethrough and configured for insertion into the female patient such that a terminal end of said needle is positioned adjacent an ovary of the female patient; Employing a microendoscope having an optic fiber operably extending therefrom and operably inserting said optic fiber into said needle in a manner to enable an image of the ovary to be obtained therethrough; Inserting a tissue removing member through said microendoscope in a manner to be operably co-insertable into said introducer needle with said optic fiber therein to enable removal of ovarian tissue cells with minimal deleterious effect to the ovary; Inserting said introducer needle into the fornix to advance said microendoscope to enable visualization of the ovary; Advancing said tissue removing member to contact the ovary in a manner to enable OSE tissue cells to be obtained therewith; and Removing the tissue removing member and OSE tissue cells from said device for analysis.