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a deflectable biopsy catheter adapted to pass through the distal end of the longitudinally extending channel of the tubular member and bend relative to the distal end of the longitudinally extending channel, the deflectable biopsy catheter including
an elongate catheter shaft having a body portion defining a proximal end and a distal end. a flexible tip portion associated with the distal end of the body portion, and a lumen extending from the body portion to the tip portion, the catheter shaft being sized and constructed to be advanced into a body cavity of a patient.
a deflection wire extending through the lumen and attached to the flexible tip portion of the catheter shaft, and
a pair of biopsy jaws coupled to the flexible tip portion of the catheter shaft and having first and second opposed free cutting surfaces exposable for contact with a selected area of tissue within the patient's body cavity and movable with respect to each other to cut a tissue sample from the selected area of tissue.
19. A biopsy sysytem as claimed in claim 18. wherein the tubular member comprises an endoscope.
20. A biopsy sysytem as claimed in claim 18. wherein the tubular member comprises a sheath.
21. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 18. wherein the deflection wire is attached to a surface of the lumen located within the fexible tip portion.
22. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 18. wherein the body portion of the catheter shaft defines a first stiffness, the flexible tip portion of the catheter shaft defines a second stiffness, and the first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness.
23. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 18. wherein the biopsy jaws comprise hollow substantially cup-shaped members.
24. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 18. wherein the biopsy jaws are pivotal hinged together about a pivot bearing coupled to the flexible tip portion of the catheter shaft.
25. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:
an elongate actuation wire coupled to the biopsy jaws and extending proximally therefrom to the proximal end of the body portion of the catheter shaft.
26. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 25. wherein the lumen defines a first lumen, the catheter shaft defines a second lumen that is non-coaxial with the first lumen, and the actuation wire is located within the second lumen.
27. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 25. further comprising:
a handle associated with the proximal end of the catheter shaft;
a piston slidably received within the handle and connected to the deflection wire such that movement of the piston relative to the handle causes deflection of the flexible tip portion of the catheter shaft; and
a manually operable element movable relative to the piston and connected to the actuation wire such that movement of the manually operable element causes the jaws to move relative to one another.
28. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 27, wherein the piston has a slot formed therein and the manually operable element slides within the slot.
29. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 28, wherein the manually operable element comprises a knob mounted on a slide bar.
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30. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 18. wherein the opposed jaws are formed from electrically conducting material and together form a generally dome-shaped outer electrically conducting surface. 5 31. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 30, wherein the actuation wire comprises conductive material.
32. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 30, wherein the biopsy jaws are pivotably hinged together about a pivot bearing coupled to the flexible tip portion of the catheter
10 shaft and the pivot bearing is formed from electrically insulating material.
33. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 18, wherein the respective cutting surfaces of the biopsy jaws comprise a plurality of serrated teeth for cutting body tissue.
15 34. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 18. further comprising:
a needle coupled to the flexible portion of the catheter shaft and adapted to penetrate body tissue to a preselected depth.
20 35. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 18. wherein the biopsy jaws respectively include hollow substantially cupshaped distal sections and proximally located ablation electrode sections, the ablation electrode sections being electrically insulated from the substantially cup-shaped distal
25 sections.
36. A biopsy system as claimed in claim 35. wherein the ablation electrode sections are substantially flat.
37. A method of obtaining a tissue sample from a body cavity of a patient, comprising the steps of:
30 advancing a biopsy system, as defined in claim 18. within the body cavity of the patient; advancing at least the flexible tip portion of the catheter shaft beyond the distal end of the longitudinally extending channel in the tubular member; 35 bending the flexible tip portion of the catheter shaft relative to the distal end of the longitudinally extending channel to steer the flexible tip portion to a preselected portion of body tissue within the body cavity by selectively applying tension to the deflection wire; opening the opposed jaws in the vicinity of the selected
portion of body tissue; and closing the jaws to cut a sample of tissue from the selected portion of body tissue. 45 38. Amethod as claimed in claim 37, wherein the opposed biopsy jaws together form an exposed electrically conductive surface, the method further comprising the step of: electro-coagulating the selected area of tissue by supplying to the electrically conductive surface formed by the 50 biopsy jaws energy sufficient to achieve tissue electrocoagulation.
39. A method as claimed in claim 38 further comprising the step of:
deflecting the flexible tip portion of the catheter to 55 increase pressure applied by the exposed conductive surface of the biopsy jaws against the selected portion of tissue during electro-coagulation.
40. A method of obtaining a tissue sample from the heart of a patient, comprising the steps of:
60 advancing a biopsy system, as defined in claim 18. through the vasculature of a patient, wherein the opposed biopsy jaws together form a first exposed electrically conductive electrode surface and the catheter shaft includes second electrically conductive elec
65 trode surface;
steering the system through the vasculature and into the heart of the patient;
