Tissue biopsy device with rotatably linked thumbwheel and tissue sample holder

1. A biopsy device for acquiring tissue samples from a patient, the biopsy device comprising:

a probe, comprising:

a needle portion having a tissue receiving aperture, wherein the needle portion defines a longitudinal axis,

a body portion having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the needle portion extends distally from the distal end of the body portion,

a rotatable thumbwheel coupled with the needle portion, wherein the rotatable thumbwheel is fixedly secured relative to the needle portion such that the thumbwheel is operable to rotate the needle portion about the longitudinal axis,

a cutter longitudinally movable within the needle portion, wherein the cutter is configured to cut tissue protruding into the aperture, wherein the cutter defines a cutter lumen, and

a rotatable tissue sample holder configured to receive tissue samples severed by the cutter and communicated through the cutter lumen; and

a holster removably coupled with the probe, the holster comprising a linking mechanism, wherein the thumbwheel is rotatably coupled with the tissue sample holder via the linking mechanism such that the thumbwheel is manually rotatable to rotate the tissue sample holder via the linking mechanism.

2. The biopsy device of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the thumbwheel protrudes from the top of the body for manual engagement by an operator.

3. The biopsy device of claim 2 , wherein a second portion of the thumbwheel protrudes from the bottom of the body to engage with the linking mechanism.

4. The biopsy device of claim 1 , wherein the tissue sample holder is manually rotatable to rotate the needle portion via the linking mechanism.

5. The biopsy device of claim 1 , wherein the linking mechanism has a distal engagement member to rotatably engage with the thumbwheel and a proximal engagement member to rotatably engage with the tissue sample holder.

6. The biopsy device of claim 5 , wherein the thumbwheel has at least one tooth around a periphery thereof to rotatably engage with the distal engagement member of the linking mechanism.

7. The biopsy device of claim 5 , wherein the tissue sample holder comprises a gear configured to mesh with the proximal engagement member of the linking mechanism.

8. The biopsy device of claim 1 , wherein the linking mechanism is configured to rotate the tissue sample holder in the same rotational direction as the thumbwheel.

9. The biopsy device of claim 1 , the linking mechanism is configured to rotate the tissue sample holder at the same rotational rate at which the needle is rotated by the thumbwheel.

10. The biopsy device of claim 1 , wherein the tissue sample holder comprises a plurality of discrete tissue sample chambers, wherein the thumbwheel is operable to successively index the sample chambers to the cutter lumen.

11. The biopsy device of claim 1 , wherein the holster further comprises a cutter drive mechanism in communication with the cutter, wherein the cutter drive mechanism is operable to actuate the cutter.

12. The biopsy device of claim 11 , wherein the cutter drive mechanism comprises a first drive shaft, wherein the first drive shaft has a hollow bore.

13. The biopsy device of claim 12 , wherein the linking mechanism comprises a second drive shaft, wherein the second drive shaft extends longitudinally through the hollow bore of the first drive shaft.

14. The biopsy device of claim 11 , wherein the cutter drive mechanism and the linking mechanism are operable independently of each other.

15. The biopsy device of claim 11 , further comprising a rotary drive cable, wherein the cutter drive mechanism is driven by the rotary drive cable.

16. A biopsy device for acquiring tissue samples from a patient, the biopsy device comprising:

a needle portion having a tissue receiving aperture, wherein the needle portion defines a longitudinal axis;

a body portion having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the needle portion extends distally from the distal end of the body portion;

a rotatable thumbwheel coupled with the needle portion, wherein the rotatable thumbwheel is fixedly secured relative to the needle portion such that the thumbwheel is operable to rotate the needle portion about the longitudinal axis;

a cutter longitudinally movable within the needle portion, wherein the cutter is configured to cut tissue protruding into the aperture, wherein the cutter defines a cutter lumen;

a rotatable tissue sample holder configured to receive tissue samples severed by the cutter and communicated through the cutter lumen;

a linking mechanism, wherein the thumbwheel is rotatably coupled with the tissue sample holder via the linking mechanism such that the thumbwheel is manually rotatable to rotate the tissue sample holder via the linking mechanism; and

a probe and a holster, wherein the probe and holster are removably coupled, wherein the needle portion, the thumbwheel, the cutter, and the tissue sample holder are provided by the probe, and wherein the linking mechanism is provided by the holster.

17. The biopsy device of claim 16 , wherein the thumbwheel presents gear teeth exposed by the probe; wherein the tissue sample holder presents gear teeth exposed by the probe; wherein the linking mechanism comprises a gear train; wherein the gear train presents gear teeth exposed by the holster; wherein the gear teeth presented by the thumbwheel and the gear teeth presented by the tissue sample holder are configured to mesh with the gear teeth presented by the linking mechanism gear train when the probe is coupled with the holster.