Technologies

Introduction

Over 5 million skin biopsies are performed each per year. The healthcare provider carrying out the procedure typically utilizes a free-hand blade to remove the sample. Due to the risk and inconsistency associated with using a free blade, dermatologists are the main providers for this procedure, which can make it quite expensive. A device that makes skin biopsies safer and more reproducible could allow healthcare providers other than dermatologists to perform the procedure, resulting in a large saving of costs.

Technology Description

Dr. Edward Phillips, a surgeon at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with over 20 years of clinical experience, has developed a novel device to perform shave biopsies. The device consists of a spring-loaded blade that does not come into contact with the healthcare provider, as well as a sample cube that the sample falls into immediately after removal. The sample cube can contain a fixative solution, allowing the specimen to be stored and sent to a pathology lab for diagnosis without contamination by handling. Further, the device can include a suction mechanism to create a vacuum and hold skin in place before firing the spring-loaded blade to perform the biopsy.