A cytology sampling system includes a catheter tube and a cytology tool. The catheter tube has open proximal and distal ends. The cytology tool is insertable through the catheter tube and includes a flexible shaft, a brush, and a position sensor. The flexible shaft defines proximal and distal ends thereof. The brush is coupled to the distal end of the flexible shaft. The brush includes a plurality of brush shafts. Each brush shaft has bristles disposed along a portion of a length thereof. The bristles are coupled to and extend radially away from an outer surface of each of the brush shafts. The bristles are configured to collect cell samples from targeted tissue of a patient. The position sensor provides an indication of the location of the position sensor within a luminal structure. The system may include a positioning assembly for placing the distal end of the catheter tube adjacent the target tissue.

Methods, systems, and devices for accessing tissue outside a bronchus and marking the location of a biopsy are provided. The method includes loading a navigation plan into a navigation system with the navigation plan including a CT volume generated from a plurality of CT images, inserting an extended working channel (EWC) including a location sensor into a patient's airways, registering a sensed location of the EWC with the CT volume of the navigation plan, and selecting a target in the navigation plan located outside the periphery of a patient's airways. The method further includes navigating the EWC and location sensor proximate the target, inserting a piercing catheter into the EWC, piercing through an airway wall to reach the target, storing a position of the location sensor in the navigation system as a biopsy location, and performing a biopsy at the stored biopsy location.

Methods, systems, and devices for accessing tissue outside a bronchus and marking the location of a biopsy are provided. The method includes loading a navigation plan into a navigation system with the navigation plan including a CT volume generated from a plurality of CT images, inserting an extended working channel (EWC) including a location sensor into a patient's airways, registering a sensed location of the EWC with the CT volume of the navigation plan, and selecting a target in the navigation plan located outside the periphery of a patient's airways. The method further includes navigating the EWC and location sensor proximate the target, inserting a piercing catheter into the EWC, piercing through an airway wall to reach the target, storing a position of the location sensor in the navigation system as a biopsy location, and performing a biopsy at the stored biopsy location.

A biopsy needle set that includes an outer cannula and a core collector that slides therein and includes a cradle that has a trough-shaped open space formed between a keel and two rows of teeth rising from lateral ends of the keel. The cradle has an outer surface that conforms closely to the cannula's inside wall such that when the cradle partly extends distally from the cannula the outer surface of the cradle bears against the cannula's inside wall to thereby resist bending of the core collector's portion that extends distally from the cannula

A tilted needle biopsy assembly is provided for mounting on an x-ray system. Because the biopsy needle is angled relative to at least one of the detector and the x-ray source, x-ray imaging may be performed during the biopsy procedure without interference by the biopsy device. The angled biopsy needle additionally allows improved access to the axilla and chest wall of the patient. The stereotactic biopsy device of the present invention may be coupled to any x-ray system, whether upright or prone, including but not limited to mammography systems, tomosynthesis systems, and combination mammography/tomosynthesis systems. The system flexibly supports the use of any mode of image capture (i.e., scout, two dimensional mammogram, three-dimensional reconstructed volume) for either or both target visualization and target localization. With such an arrangement, a needle biopsy assembly having improved patient coverage is provided for use with a variety of different x-ray imaging platforms.

The invention relates to a trajectory guidance instrument that is securable to a surgical tool for use in conjunction with X-ray machines. More particularly, the device includes a radiolucent outrigger having radiodense indicia disposed on the outrigger so that the radiodense indicia is visible via an X-ray machine to provide an angular trajectory for the instrument. The outrigger is securable to various surgical tools for the purpose of providing real time trajectory guidance to surgeons during a procedure. In general, the precision trajectory guidance instrument comprises a substantially rigid outrigger device which it securable to a portion of the surgical tool for trajectory guidance. The trajectory guidance instrument may be attached with clips, fasteners, adhesives, hook and loop or the like.

A medical needle arrangement (100, 1000, 1400) is disclosed. The needle arrangement (100, 1000, 1400) comprises: a needle sheath (104, 002, 1402), and a needle (202, 1102, 1406) comprising: an elongated portion and a sealing member (204, 1003, 1403) being arranged to a front end of the elongated portion. The needle arrangement is adapted to bet set in: a closed position, in which the sealing member (204, 1003, 1403) is arranged to abut at least a portion of a front end surface of the needle sheath (104, 1002, 1402) thereby restricting intrusion of foreign matter in an area between the needle sheath and the needle, and an open position, in which a gap (1204, 1506) is formed between the sealing member (204, 1003, 1403) and the front end surface of the needle sheath (104, 1002, 1402). Embodiments include needle arrangement for injection, for aspiration, and for biopsy purposes.

An improved microbiopsy needle tip is described. The improvement is attributable to the presence of one or more combinations of features, including the use of a Franseen-type needle cutting tip, the provision of a “step-out” in which the collection portion of the biopsy device has a larger diameter than the procuring portion of the device, frictional force on the core of tissue exerted by the distal portion of the needle, which force is provided by the diameter of the distal collection portion of the device having substantially the same diameter as that of the procured core of tissue, the mechanical effects of scaling the needle to small dimensions; and the use of a needle that can be curved to as to sample multiple biopsy sites in close proximity without retracting the needle from the patient.

The invention relates to a biopsy needle device comprising at least one hollow outer needle, an inner needle longitudinally movably guided in the outer needle, and a housing. Such a biopsy needle device can be used to carry out a biopsy on a living being, offering improved ergonomics.

A kyphoplasty system includes various instruments which can be selectively used in a surgical theater (e.g., during a surgical operation on a patient) or a surgical training environment. The kyphoplasty system can include one or more of a kyphoplasty apparatus, a prone table mat, a connector system, a bone introducer needle, and a biopsy device. The kyphoplasty system may also include a training system for use in the training environment.