TransMed7 is close to releasing new biopsy devices that may revolutionize the sector and make a huge difference. They feature forward-coring and side-coring technologies, which allow more accurate tissue retrieval while reducing trauma for patients.
Both of these biopsy devices could have a huge impact on this medical technology sector, which has been stagnant for years. When it comes to biopsy devices, things have virtually stayed the same since the 1960s, something the TransMed7’s CEO, Gene Vetter, wants to change.
Biopsy Devices Haven’t Changed Much Until Now
Biopsies as we know them consist of taking a tube, cutting a trough close to the end, and on the side to place a sharp tip. Doctors then nick the skin and push the device through. The sharp tip slices towards the lesion and the trough gathers the tissue.
After that, a second tube is slid over it to slice off whatever the trough has gathered. These biopsy devices are mostly designed for single use. So, any time a biopsy is required, doctors have to go through the entire process again.
Whenever multiple biopsies are needed, the process can cause pain and tissue damage to the patient. Every time the patient’s skin is nicked and sliced, the post-operatory healing time increases quite a bit.
According to Vetter, 55% of the devices used for breast biopsies and almost 100% of the ones use for prostate biopsies are single-sample, single-insertion instruments. Considering this through a modern lens, Vetter is correct in thinking this is barbaric.
A New Dawn for Biopsy Devices
The entire team at TransMed7 thought the same and they were certain there was a better way to collect biopsy samples. That was the drive behind their work and it’s how they created the new SpeedBird, Heron, and Concorde biopsy devices.
They started designing from scratch, without considering existing biopsy instruments. Their goal was to create a better solution and eventually, they figured it out. They found a way to take a thin-wall hypodermic tube and cut an articulable peak pattern into the end using lasers.
When the device collects the tissue sample, the beaks on the end of the tube come together to close up. Then, they separate the samples from the host tissue and move them to a collection compartment. The TransMed7 biopsy devices can collect several samples with just one insertion.
Vetter claims that the beaks are created and patented to gently remove the tissue and get to the lesion without damaging any tissue, including nerves and blood vessels. The devices feature rotating needles, so they are more efficient at tissue coring, which also makes it easier to see the sample on ultrasound.
One of the most important things for the TransMed7 team is accuracy so doctors can get what they aim for every time they use the biopsy device. This way, they can obtain specific samples for the pathologist, which enables the therapy team to choose more effective drugs to fight cancer.
Final Words
The mechanism of the TransMed7 biopsy devices is unique and they work for breast and prostate biopsies as well as kidney, liver, thyroid, and lymph nodes. Essentially, this is a much-needed revolution and it’s an exciting time for the biopsy device sector in medical technology.
These new instruments, which are more accurate and less traumatic for patients, may very well facilitate more effective diagnoses and treatments that are better chosen to fight some of the deadliest diseases on earth. They have the potential of making the physician’s job easier and providing the patient with an improved chance of fighting what ails them.
