Biopsy tissue sample transport device and method of using thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10201331-B2
Application number	US-201314403898-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2013
Priority date	Jun 22, 2012
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

A biopsy tissue sample transport device and method of using thereof including a tissue storage assembly having a sample container, having a holding structure to hold a tissue sample, the holding structure having a sample access opening formed in a sidewall; a housing that receives the tissue storage assembly, the housing comprising an assembly insertion opening through which the tissue storage assembly is inserted into the housing; a sealing member configured to engage and substantially seal the sample access opening of the holding structure of the sample container of the tissue storage assembly; and a lid to engage and substantially seal the assembly insertion opening of the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A biopsy tissue sample transport device comprising:
a. a tissue storage assembly having at least one sample container comprising a holding structure configured to releasably position a tissue sample, wherein the holding structure comprises a sample access opening formed in a sidewall configured to allow sample insertion or removal therethrough;
b. a housing containing the tissue storage assembly therein, the housing comprising an assembly insertion opening through which the tissue storage assembly is inserted into the housing;
c. a sealing member comprising a body and at least one protrusion extending from a surface of the body, the at least one protrusion configured to be inserted into an substantially seal the sample access opening formed in the sidewall of the at least one sample container; and
d. a lid configured to engage and substantially seal the assembly insertion opening of the housing,
wherein the sealing member is a structure arranged on an inner wall of the housing and is projected in a first direction, from the inner wall to the assembly insertion opening, so as to engage and seal the sample access opening by abutting the sample access opening, and
wherein the first direction is parallel to a second direction through which the assembly insertion opening of the housing receives the tissue storage assembly,
wherein the sealing member comprises an annular shaped member disposed at a bottom of the housing, and the at least one protrusion of the sealing member extending upward from the annular shaped member, and
wherein the tissue storage assembly is inserted into the housing such that the sample access opening formed in the sidewall of the holding structure of the at least one sample container is oriented downward to engage the at least one protrusion of the sealing member.

2. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 1 , wherein the tissue storage assembly further comprises:
a cylindrical member comprising a plurality of chambers extending lengthwise through the cylindrical member with one opening provided at one end of each chamber,
wherein the at least one sample container is configured to be inserted into one of the plurality of chambers extending lengthwise through the cylindrical member.

3. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one sample container is sized and shaped to receive a core biopsy sample.

4. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 1 ,
a. further comprising:
i. a fixing agent pouch disposed within at least one of the lid and the housing, the fixing agent pouch comprising:
1. a casing having a frangible portion;
2. a fixing agent chemical selected to fix and preserve the tissue samples for later analysis.

5. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 4 ,
a. wherein the fixing agent pouch is disposed within the lid of the biopsy tissue sample transport device;
b. wherein the lid further comprises a breaking member; and
c. wherein the breaking member is configured to engage the frangible portion of the casing of the fixing agent pouch upon sealing of the lid and rupture the frangible portion of the casing causing the fixing agent chemical to be released into the housing.

6. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 4 ,
a. wherein the fixing agent pouch is disposed within the housing of the biopsy tissue sample transport device; and
b. wherein the biopsy tissue sample transport device further comprises a breaking member disposed within the housing and configured to engage the frangible portion of the casing of the fixing agent pouch upon at least one of insertion of the tissue storage assembly or sealing of the lid and rupture the frangible portion of the casing causing the fixing agent chemical to be released into the housing.

7. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 4 ,
a. wherein the fixing agent pouch is further disposed within a central cylindrical hollow region of the housing; and
b. wherein the biopsy tissue sample transport device further comprises:
i. a breaking member, which is disposed within the housing and which is configured to engage the frangible portion of the casing of the fixing agent pouch upon at least one of insertion of the tissue storage assembly or sealing of the lid, and rupture the frangible casing causing the fixing agent chemical to be released into the housing; and
ii. a plunger member configured to push the fixing agent out of the central cylindrical hollow region of the housing and into at least one longitudinal extending slots of the housing in response to sealing of the lid to the housing.

8. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 7 ,
a. wherein at least one of the housing and a lid comprises a post member configured to engage the plunger member and provide a squeezing force to push the fixing agent out of the central cylindrical hollow region in response to sealing of the lid to the housing.

9. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 1 , further comprising an ID tag attached to at least one of the housing, the lid, and the tissue storage assembly.

10. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 9 , wherein the ID tag attached to at least one of the housing, the lid, and the tissue storage assembly comprises a computer readable ID tag.

11. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 10 , wherein the computer readable ID tag comprises at least one of a readable writable RFID tag, a one-dimensional barcode, a two-dimensional barcode and a three-dimensional barcode.

12. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 10 , wherein the computer readable ID tag contains information unique to the tissue sample.

13. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 12 , wherein the information unique to the tissue sample includes one or more of patient identification information, sample collection site location information, collection temperature, collection time, and collection conditions.

14. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 1 , wherein
the sample access opening is further configured to allow insertion and removal of the sample container therethrough along a first direction,
the assembly insertion opening is further configured to receive an insertion of the tissue storage assembly and the holding structure thereof into the housing along a second direction, and
during the insertion, the first direction is substantially equal to the second direction.

15. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 1 , wherein when the lid is secured to the housing an interior of the housing is fully sealed from an exterior of the housing.

16. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 1 , wherein the sealing member protrudes from the interior of the housing and to the access opening.

17. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the sealing member is directly attached to the housing.

18. The biopsy tissue sample transport device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the tissue storage assembly further comprises a plurality of holding structures each with one of a plurality of sample access openings,
wherein the plurality of holding structures are connected by a flexible material such that the tissue storage assembly is folded into a shape of an inner circumference of the housing, and
wherein the plurality of holding structures is

Assignees

• Leica Biosystems Nussloch Gmbh

Inventors

• Fleming Jo
• Clemens Charles E
• Berardelli David

Classifications

• A61B90/90

  Identification means for patients or instruments, e.g. tags · CPC title

• B65D53/02

  Collars or rings · CPC title

• B65D43/00

  Lids or covers for rigid or semi-rigid containers · CPC title

• A61B2010/0208

  Biopsy devices with actuators, e.g. with triggered spring mechanisms · CPC title

• G01N1/00

  Sampling; Preparing specimens for investigation · CPC title