Device for removal of tissue lesions

1. A medical device for removal of a lesion from tissue comprising:

a probe housing, the probe housing having a longitudinal axis;

a rotatable cutter mounted at the distal end of the probe housing, wherein the rotatable cutter is mounted for rotation about an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the probe housing, and wherein the cutter comprises at least one electrode;

a drive for rotationally driving the cutter around a tissue specimen containing the lesion;

a specimen containment sheath adapted to be deployed by the cutter as it is rotated to perform a rotational cut, such that the specimen containment sheath is drawn around the tissue specimen as the cutter cuts around the specimen.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the drive comprises first and second cables which are mechanically displaced to rotate the cutter, and wherein the cables also conduct RF electrical signals to the cutter.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the cutter comprises a generally semicircular RF loop cutter which cuts a generally spherical tissue specimen.

4. The device of claim 1 comprising a drawstring pulling the containment sheath around the tissue specimen.

5. The device of claim 1 adapted for flow communication with a source of vacuum.

6. The device of claim 1 comprising vacuum channels formed therein.

7. The device of claim 1 comprising at least one drive electrical cable housed in at least one vacuum channel.

8. The device of claim 1 comprising a disposable probe portion associated with a reusable handpiece.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the probe housing comprises opposed legs and wherein the cutter is disposed for rotation between the opposed legs.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the cutter comprises at least two electrodes.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the two electrodes are energized independently of each other.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the cutter comprises a single cutting electrode for tunneling and rotational cutting.