Patent · US Expired

Uterine endometrial tissue sample brush

US5713369A · kind A · utility

77Cited by
17References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateSep 13, 1995
Grant dateFeb 3, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 13, 2015

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2010/0216
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A uterine endometrial tissue sample brush 10 includes a flexible core 12 having a distal core end 16 and a cylindrical brush member 18 carried adjacent the distal core end 16. The core 12 is formed from a spirally wrapped pair of wires 22 and includes an atraumatic tip 26. The brush member 18 is about 3 to 5 cm long and has a free outside diameter, preferably about 5.08 to 7.62 mm (0.2 to 0.3 in.), suited to maintain patient comfort yet comprehensively contact the undilated uterine canal 38. The brush member 18 includes a plurality of resilient bristles 20 axially spaced about 0.5 to 1.5 mm apart. The bristles 20 have a stiffness equivalent to that possessed by nylon-6,12 at a diameter of about 0.076 to 0.152 mm (0.003 to 0.006 in.). This stiffness is critical and unexpectedly gives the brush 10 good exfoliating and collecting abilities simultaneously, in contrast to prior devices which may possess either good exfoliating or good collecting abilities, but not both abilities at the same time. The bristles 20 are preferably composed of nylon-6,12 of about 0.127 mm (0.005 in.) diameter, and are retained between the pair of wires 22 so that they are spirally arrayed. The brush 10 also …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.