Biopsy Forceps

This is a depiction currently used biopsy forceps.

This is a close up of the forceps jaws.

This is a visual of the limitation of the currently used forceps.

First, I tried using the currently used forceps idea with a slight modification.

This model didn't work since it was not able to achieve the angle that was require to reach the previously unreachable tissue.

This was a very early prototype. The idea was that vacuum would be applied through the tube and tissue would be sucked through the opening on the side of the tube. The jagged edged were supposed to slice the tissue when the user pulled abruptly. It didn't work.

This is a more developed prototype of the previous picture. Here I fixed a syringe to be able to test the design.

This is another prototype. This is a more developed version of a the first prototype.

I played around with this concept for a little. Here is another iteration.

A lot of tissue was sucked in. Although it was able to collect some tissue, it was very inconsistent in the amount of tissue collected. This inspired me to continue making vacuum-based prototypes.

Here is the size difference between my prototype and a currently used forceps. The tissue in the middle is collected my tool... It is too small.

This is another prototype. The idea was that once the tissue would be sucked into the port cut into the side of the tube (right below the blue collar), the metal collar would be pulled down and cut the tissue.

I often tested prototypes in pig stomachs. They were cheap and easy to buy. This is a depiction of the prototype in the previous slide getting tested.

While the prototype was able to suck in a lot of tissue, it wasen’t able to cut the tissue well. This inspired me to continue using suction - now I had to find a better way to cut.

Another depiction of the prototype sucking in a lot of tissue.

This is a version of the previous design. The cutting mechanism is a snare wire instead of a collar. None of these prototypes worked due to them not fitting into the 4.2 mm endoscope and also cutting inadequately.

This is another angle of the previous slide.

This is the prototype getting fed through a 4.2 mm endoscope. This size requirement made it tricky to follow.

These are two iterations of the same prototype. The yellow tip one had a more efficient vacuum port.

This is a set up of the experiment.

The vacuum was sufficient. A lot of tissue was sucked inside. However, there was a lot of difficulty to cut it. The cutting problem prevails!

This is how I applied vacuum to the prototypes. I made this fixture to fix to a syringe.

I often used pig stomach to test prototypes. A cheap and easy to get animal model!