A hand held instrument for harvesting a biopsy sample is provided. The instrument includes a housing, an annular blade on a distal end of said housing for cutting axially cutting a biopsy, a transverse blade unit for transversely cutting the biopsy, and a plunger unit positioned within the housing ejecting the biopsy sample away from inside the housing after said biopsy sample has been transversely cut.

The present disclosure provides a method for treating clinical or pre-clinical skin damage in a skin field of a subject, wherein the skin field has been allocated a skin cancerization field index (SCFI) score of at least 1 as determined by a process comprising the steps of: (i) assessing the number of keratoses in the skin field; (ii) assessing the thickness of the thickest keratosis in the skin field; and (iii) assessing the proportion of the field affected by clinical or subclinical skin damage. Based on the assessments made in (i), (ii) and (iii) the subject is optionally treated by at least one of (a) freezing one or more lesions, (b) shaving, curetting or surgically removing one or more lesions, (c) applying a topical treatment for actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, and (d) radiation therapy.

The present disclosure provides a method for treating clinical or pre-clinical skin damage in a skin field of a subject, wherein the skin field has been allocated a skin cancerization field index (SCFI) score of at least 1 as determined by a process comprising the steps of: (i) assessing the number of keratoses in the skin field; (ii) assessing the thickness of the thickest keratosis in the skin field; and (iii) assessing the proportion of the field affected by clinical or subclinical skin damage. Based on the assessments made in (i), (ii) and (iii) the subject is optionally treated by at least one of (a) freezing one or more lesions, (b) shaving, curetting or surgically removing one or more lesions, (c) applying a topical treatment for actinic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, and (d) radiation therapy.

Instruments, systems and methods are provided for performing submucosal medical procedures in a desired area of the digestive tract using endoscopy. Instruments include a safe access needle injection instrument, a submucosal tunneling instrument, a submucosal dissection instrument, a mucosal resection device. Systems include a combination of one or more of such instruments with or without injectable agents. Embodiments of various methods for performing the procedures are also provided.

Articulated instruments that include tools for disrupting and/or distracting tissue, and methods of using the same.

The present subject matter discloses a tissue removal tool for use with an endoscope. The tool comprises a loop formed by a piece of wire and movable between an open position and a closed position, and a transmitting assembly comprising: a handle; and a link having a first end attached to the handle and a second end attached to the loop, the loop portion being movable between the open and closed position by action of the handle. The loop is defined in the open position by a proximal portion and a distal portion. The widest portion of the loop is more proximal to a proximal end of the loop than the mid-point of the length of the loop is.

An adjustable loop stripper for stretching an arterial wall outwardly as plaque is excavated inwardly.

Exemplary embodiments of method and apparatus are provided for damaging and/or removing portions of subcutaneous fatty tissue while leaving the overlying dermal layer of the skin substantially undamaged. One or more hollow needles can be provided that include an arrangement within the lumen configured to retain or damage portions of fatty tissue that enter the lumen. Properties of the needle can be selected such that the needle can be inserted into skin and pass through the dermal layer, allowing fatty tissue to enter the distal portion of the lumen as it is advanced further, and then leaving the dermis undamaged when withdrawn. Such exemplary apparatus can include a plurality of such needles, a reciprocating arrangement to mechanically advance and withdraw the one or more needles, and/or a vibrating arrangement.

An adjustable loop stripper for stretching an arterial wall outwardly as plaque is excavated inwardly.