| CPC A61B 10/0291 (2013.01) [A61B 10/0283 (2013.01)] | 12 Claims |
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1. An intrauterine tissue collecting instrument comprising:
a flexible outer tube having an outer tube distal end portion that is insertable into the uterus;
a flexible inner tube that is insertable into the flexible outer tube and is axially movable within the flexible outer tube; and
a shaft member that is insertable into the flexible inner tube and is axially movable within the flexible inner tube toward a distal end side of the flexible inner tube and toward a proximal end side of the flexible inner tube,
wherein the outer tube distal end portion includes a substantially semispherical distal end and at least three slits that extend from substantially a center of a surface of the substantially semispherical distal end toward a proximal end and in a direction of a side surface, and wherein the at least three slits are arranged at substantially equally angles with respect to a center axis of the flexible outer tube,
wherein the flexible inner tube includes an inner tube distal end portion that includes a closed distal end and a plurality of side openings that are provided on a proximal end side with respect to the closed distal end,
wherein the shaft member includes a diameter-expanded distal end portion that is slidable within the flexible inner tube in a liquid-tight manner, a shaft tube, and a metal inner core housed in and fixed to the shaft tube, the inner core having a most distal end, the diameter-expanded distal end portion being a flare-shaped diameter-expanded portion of which the diameter increases toward a distal end, and wherein the shaft member has a higher resistance to movement toward the distal end side in the flexible inner tube than toward the proximal end side in the flexible inner tube,
wherein the flexible outer tube is openable to allow the inner tube distal end portion to protrude from the outer tube distal end portion, wherein the flexible outer tube is configured to be opened by spreading parts of the outer tube distal end portion between the slits when the flexible inner tube is pushed,
wherein the flare-shaped diameter-expanded portion has an interior filled with resin, wherein the resin has a proximal rear end, and wherein the most distal end of the inner core is spaced apart from the proximal rear end of the resin that fills the flare-shaped diameter-expanded portion to define a gap between the proximal rear end of the resin and the most distal end of the inner core such that when the shaft member is pressed toward the distal end side, the inner core does not directly press the proximal rear end of the resin that fills the flare-shaped diameter-expanded portion, and
wherein the intrauterine tissue collecting instrument is configured to collect intrauterine tissue through suction via the side openings of the flexible inner tube when the shaft member is moved toward the proximal end side in the flexible inner tube in a state where the inner tube distal end portion protrudes from the outer tube distal end portion within the uterus, and wherein the inner tube distal end portion protruding from the outer tube distal end portion is movable to a position housed again in the flexible outer tube within the uterus by moving the flexible inner tube toward the proximal end.
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