ENDOSCOPIC DEVICE FOR MULTIPLE SAMPLE BIOPSY

The present invention relates in one aspect to an endoscopic biopsy device (1, 2) for collecting multiple samples (10x). The endoscopic biopsy device comprises a tubular body (10) having in an axial direction a distal end and a proximal end, jaws (20, 21, 22) that are hinged to the distal end of the body, wherein the jaws are operable between an OPEN position and a CLOSED position to secure a tissue sample (100), and wherein the jaws in the CLOSED position define a sampling chamber (23); a collecting chamber (13) for receiving multiple samples, the collecting chamber being located within the body in an axial direction proximally adjacent to the sampling chamber; and an axially extending collecting member (30) for transfixing secured samples, the collecting member being axially displaceable between a retracted position in the collecting chamber and a deployed position where the collecting member penetrates into the sampling chamber. The jaws comprise retaining elements (40, 41, 42) arranged to project radially inward on a proximal portion of the jaws. The retaining elements engage when the jaws are in the CLOSED position, thereby separating the sampling chamber and the collecting chamber from each other. The retaining elements disengage when the jaws are in the OPEN position, thereby providing a passage for the transfer of transfixed samples into and out of the collecting chamber.