End effector assembly cap and tissue removal device and related methods
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the invention include a cap for a medical device. The cap includes a body defining a cavity configured to accommodate at least a portion of an end effector assembly of the medical device, and a tissue removal portion attached to the body and configured to remove a tissue sample disposed within the end effector assembly when the cavity is not accommodating the end effector assembly. Embodiments of the invention also may include a medical kit including a medical device and a cap and a method of performing a medical procedure with the cap.
1. A method of performing a medical procedure, comprising:
providing a medical device including a handle portion, an end effector assembly, and an elongate member connecting the handle portion to the end effector assembly;
providing a cap including a body defining a cavity configured to accommodate at least a portion of the end effector assembly of the medical device, and a tissue removal portion attached to the body and configured to remove a tissue sample disposed within the end effector assembly when the cavity is not accommodating the end effector assembly, at least a portion of the end effector assembly being disposed in the cavity;
removing the cap from the at least a portion of the end effector assembly;
obtaining tissue with the end effector assembly; and
removing tissue from the end effector assembly with the tissue removal portion.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the end effector assembly is a jaw assembly.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the medical device is a endoscopic biopsy forceps.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the end effector assembly is disposed in the cavity when the end effector assembly is in a closed configuration.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue removal portion is a shaft.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the shaft is tapered to a tip.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body includes a concave outer surface.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the cap is made of an elastomeric material.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion radially extending beyond an outermost radial portion of the body and the tissue removal portion.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the protrusion is a disk.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the protrusion has a greater cross-sectional area than the body.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion configured to prevent the cap from advancing through a working channel of an endoscope.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue removal portion is integrally formed with the body.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue removal portion is configured to scoop tissue out of the end effector assembly.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue removal portion includes a concave inner surface.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue removal portion is configured to extend alongside the end effector assembly when the cavity is accommodating the end effector assembly.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue removal portion extends from an end of the body that defines an opening of the cavity.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue removal portion extends from a first end of the body opposite a second end of the body that defines an opening of the cavity.
19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising scooping tissue out of the end effector assembly with the tissue removal portion.