BIOPSY INSTRUMENT INCLUDING TIP FOR TISSUE DILATION

A surgical instrument for excising, a targeted tissue mass to be biopsied from a djacent bodily tissue of a surgical patient is disclosed. The instrument has an elongate d shaft to which is attached a penetrating member having a penetrating tip to facilitate the inserti on of the shaft adjacent the targeted tissue mass. The instrument also includes a tissue receivi ng chamber to receive the targeted tissue mass to be biopsied, and a tissue cutter movable fro m first to second positions to excise the targeted tissue received in the tissue receiving chamber . The penetrating tip includes a blade having first and second planar surfaces generally parallel to e ach other. The blade reduces the forces necessary to penetrate during insertion of the instrument thr ough the tissue layers for positioning adjacent the biopsy site. It also serves to facilitate th e dilation of the tissue during insertion. The reduced force to penetrate coupled with tissue dilation re duce patient trauma and hasten recovery time for the patient.