Perimeter cut biopsy probe

1. An apparatus for performing a biopsy, the apparatus comprising:

a probe adapted for insertion into a tissue mass, the probe comprising a sample port;

a cutter disposed within the probe for removing a core specimen of tissue; and

an insert for placement within the probe, the insert for providing a perimeter specimen of tissue; and wherein the insert comprises at least two specimen chambers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the probe comprises at least two sample ports.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutter is hollow.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cutter is adapted to advance axially over at least a portion of the insert to sever tissue drawn through the sample port.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the cutter is adapted to rotate while advancing axially.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a vacuum source in flow communication with the sample port.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the insert comprises a vacuum passageway in flow communication with a vacuum source.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the probe comprises a distal end for piercing tissue.

9. A perimeter cut biopsy probe comprising:

a biopsy probe housing having a cutter positioned therein which is axially movable in the probe housing to remove specimens of tissue, and for removing at least one initial core specimen of tissue, the probe housing defining at least one sample port through which a specimen of tissue surrounding the probe is displaced into a specimen chamber, and wherein the cutter is then axially translated from a recessed proximal position to a distal position in the probe housing to out the core specimen of tissue;

at least one shave insert adapted to be positioned within the probe housing after the initial core tissue specimen is removed, and at least one specimen chamber defined in the shave insert for receiving a perimeter specimen of tissue therein from a perimeter of a cavity of the initial core tissue specimen, wherein the insert is positioned in the probe housing with a specimen chamber in the insert aligned with a sample port, and the cutter is then actuated to cut a perimeter specimen of tissue in the specimen chamber; and

wherein a vacuum lumen is defined on a circumferential portion of the shave insert which communicates with the specimen chamber by vacuum ports extending through a partition separating the specimen chamber from the vacuum lumen.

10. The perimeter cut biopsy probe of claim 9 , including a vacuum passageway defined in the shave insert which couples a vacuum source to the specimen chamber to allow the vacuum to draw tissue into the specimen chamber.

11. The perimeter cut biopsy probe of claim 9 , including a central, axially-extending vacuum passageway defined in the shave insert which communicates through vacuum ports with the specimen chamber.

12. The perimeter cut biopsy probe of claim 9 , including a tissue retraction arm in the insert which is axially movable to stack previously-taken perimeter, specimens of tissue.

13. The perimeter cut biopsy probe of claim 12 wherein the tissue retraction arm is axially movable to stack previously-taken perimeter specimens of tissue in the probe housing in a location proximal to the specimen chamber, to allow multiple perimeter slices to be stacked within the probe housing after they are cut.

14. The perimeter cut biopsy probe of claim 9 further comprising an RF probe tip on the probe housing to aid tunneling and fine positioning of the probe with respect to tissue.

15. The perimeter cut biopsy probe of claim 9 further comprising a tissue cauterizing electrode on the probe housing to mark a specimen of tissue to preserve the rotational orientation of the specimen of tissue relative to a tissue cavity.

16. The perimeter cut biopsy probe of claim 9 , wherein the probe housing comprises two sample ports.

17. The perimeter cut biopsy probe of claim 16 wherein the insert comprises two specimen chambers.