20 results in the device severing the sample from the surrounding tissue thereby forming a substantially cylindrical sample in one embodiment cannula 20 is rotated approximately 1 u00bd turns relative to stylet 30 to ensure that the sample has been completely severed from the surrounding tissue in an alternate embodiment rotation of the cannula is limited to prevent the leading point of cannula 20 from entering into the cutting area of the tissue during rotation the angle between cutting edge 25 of cannula 20 and leading wall 37 a of stylet 30 are roughly inverted in this embodiment as the cutting edge 25 of cannula 20 passes over leading wall 37 a of stylet 30 see fig1 in another embodiment cutting edge 25 of cannula 20 and leading wall 37 a of stylet 30 form an acute angle at cutting point x such that the cutting action is like that of a scissor at point x however at locations away from point x the cutting action is similar to a standard biopsy device cutting edge 25 of cannula 20 may alternatively be angled such that it forms an obtuse angle with leading wall 37 a of stylet 30 in this embodiment the motion shown in fig1 results in somewhat of a slicing action like that of a knife while these incident angles are illustrative of the inventive device they are not intended to be limiting however the rotation need only be sufficient to ensure the separation of the sample from the tissue mass rotation can.