Apparatus and methods for removing vertebral bone and disc tissue
First Claim
1. A tissue removal probe, comprising:
- an elongated member having a lumen;
a drive shaft rotatably disposed within the member lumen; and
a rotatable tissue removal element mounted to a distal end of the drive shaft, the tissue removal element having a plurality of tissue-cutting filaments affixed at proximal and distal ends of the tissue removal element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Tissue removal probes comprise an elongated member, a drive shaft rotatably disposed within the member, and a rotatably tissue removal element mounted to the distal end of the drive shaft. One tissue removal element comprises a plurality of tissue-cutting filaments affixed at proximal and distal ends of the tissue removal element. The cutting filaments may have optional hinge points that allow the distal end of the tissue removal element to be inverted, thereby transforming the tissue removal element from a tissue-cutting device to a tissue-grasping device. Another tissue removal element may have a blunted tip to prevent distal tissue trauma and an irrigation port to provide irrigation fluid to the removed tissue and/or tissue removal element. Another tissue removal element has a proximal and distal spiral grooves that are oppositely pitched, so that removed tissue can be collected in the middle of the tissue removal element. Another tissue removal element has independent counter-rotating tissue removal elements to maintain stability during a bone cutting procedure. Still another tissue removal element takes the form of a drill bit with fluted cutting grooves. Yet another tissue removal element has cascading tissue-cutting notches that can be reciprocatably moved to remove tissue within a hole.
200 Citations
45 Claims
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1. A tissue removal probe, comprising:
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an elongated member having a lumen;
a drive shaft rotatably disposed within the member lumen; and
a rotatable tissue removal element mounted to a distal end of the drive shaft, the tissue removal element having a plurality of tissue-cutting filaments affixed at proximal and distal ends of the tissue removal element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A tissue removal probe, comprising:
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an elongated member having a lumen;
a drive shaft rotatably disposed within the member lumen;
a rotatable tissue removal element mounted to a distal end of the drive shaft, the tissue removal element having a plurality of tissue-cutting filaments affixed at proximal and distal ends of the tissue removal element, the filaments having hinge points that divide the filaments into proximal filament segments and distal filament segments; and
a pull element mounted to the distal end of the tissue removal element, wherein pulling the pull element causes the distal filament segments to hinge towards the proximal filament segments to form folded filaments configured to be used as tissue-grasping arms. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A tissue removal probe, comprising:
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a rigid drive shaft having a distal end with a blunt tip;
a lumen extending through the drive shaft and terminating in a flush port at the blunt tip; and
a tissue removal device formed on the distal end of the drive shaft. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A tissue removal probe, comprising:
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a drive shaft; and
a tissue removal element mounted to the drive shaft, the tissue removal element having a proximal spiral groove and a distal spiral groove, wherein the proximal and distal spiral grooves are oppositely pitched. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 38, 39)
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30. A tissue removal probe, comprising:
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an outer drive shaft having a lumen;
an inner drive shaft rotatably disposed within the outer drive shaft lumen;
a first tissue removal element mounted to the outer drive shaft; and
a second tissue removal element mounted to the inner drive shaft. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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40. A tissue removal assembly, comprising:
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a cannula having a lumen;
a tissue removal probe slidably disposed in the cannula lumen, the probe comprising a rigid shaft with a distal end and a drill bit formed on the distal end of the rigid shaft, the drill bit having two fluted cutting grooves longitudinally extending along opposite sides of the drill bit.
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42. A tissue removal assembly, comprising:
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a cannula having a lumen;
a tissue removal probe slidably disposed in the cannula lumen, the probe comprising a rigid shaft with a distal end and a tissue removal element formed on the distal end of the shaft, the tissue removal element having a series of longitudinally disposed cascading tissue-cutting notches. - View Dependent Claims (41, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification