Irrigating/aspirating shaver blade assembly
First Claim
1. A shaver blade assembly for resecting tissue from a surgical site while being connected to a source of fluid and a source of aspiration such that tissue at the surgical site may be selectively subjected to irrigating, aspirating or irrigating and aspirating a surgical site at the same time comprising:
- an elongated outer tubular member having a distal end, a proximal end, a cutting opening at said distal end, a hub at said proximal end, and an irrigating fluid inflow port in said outer tubular member intermediate said distal and proximal ends;
an elongated inner tubular member adapted to move relative to said outer tubular member and having a distal end, proximal end, a cutting window at said distal end, and a hub at said proximal end;
an elongated channel between said irrigating fluid inflow port and said cutting window, said channel defined by the inner surface of said outer member and the outer surface of said inner member; and
a fluid adapter means selectively attachable to said outer tubular member adjacent said irrigating fluid inflow port for connecting said irrigating fluid port to said source of fluid.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A shaver blade assembly useable in either an irrigation-only mode, an aspiration-only mode or an irrigation/aspiration mode. The shaver blade assembly has a stationary elongated outer tube and a movable (e.g. rotatable) elongated inner tube, both inner and outer tubes having hubs attached to their proximal ends for attachment to a handpiece which provides power to move the inner blade relative to the outer blade. The inner and outer tubes are provided with cutting windows at their distal tips and the relative movement between these cutting windows acts to cut tissue during surgical procedures. The outer tube is provided with a fluid inlet port at the proximal end of its tubular surface and a fluid adapter is selectively attachable to the outer tube so as to provide a means for introducing irrigating fluid into the fluid port. The adapter is integrally formed with sealing surfaces which obviate the need for O-rings and the like. A longitudinally extending irrigating channel is provided between the inlet fluid port at one end of the irrigating channel and the outlet fluid port at the distal end of the irrigating channel by which fluid is communicated to the vicinity of the cutting windows when the shaver blade is used in the irrigation-only mode or the irrigation/ aspiration mode. The channel may be either the annular clearance space itself or a separate, dedicated groove or channel formed in the mating surfaces of the tubular members. Removing the adapter and the fluid supply enables the shaver to continue being used in an aspiration-only mode.
288 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A shaver blade assembly for resecting tissue from a surgical site while being connected to a source of fluid and a source of aspiration such that tissue at the surgical site may be selectively subjected to irrigating, aspirating or irrigating and aspirating a surgical site at the same time comprising:
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an elongated outer tubular member having a distal end, a proximal end, a cutting opening at said distal end, a hub at said proximal end, and an irrigating fluid inflow port in said outer tubular member intermediate said distal and proximal ends; an elongated inner tubular member adapted to move relative to said outer tubular member and having a distal end, proximal end, a cutting window at said distal end, and a hub at said proximal end; an elongated channel between said irrigating fluid inflow port and said cutting window, said channel defined by the inner surface of said outer member and the outer surface of said inner member; and a fluid adapter means selectively attachable to said outer tubular member adjacent said irrigating fluid inflow port for connecting said irrigating fluid port to said source of fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An irrigating adapter for converting a shaver blade assembly from an aspiration-only operating mode to an operating mode incorporating irrigation by communicating fluid from a fluid source to the shaver blade assembly, said shaver blade assembly having a fluid inlet, in an outer tubular member said adapter comprising:
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an annular housing adapted to selectively receive said shaver blade assembly; means for releasably securing said annular housing contiguously adjacent said fluid inlet; an inlet port menas for communicating fluid from said fluid source to said fluid inlet. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for using a shaver blade assembly with a source of fluid, said shaver blade assembly having an elongated inner tubular member movable relative to an elongated outer tubular member, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fluid inlet port in the wall of said outer tubular member; providing a fluid adapter means for connecting said port to a source of fluid and communicating fluid thereto; selectively attaching said fluid adapter means to said shaver blade assembly and said source of fluid when irrigating fluid is desired at a surgical site; operating said shaver blade assembly while it is in operative communication with said source of fluid.
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23. A method of adapting a shaver blade assembly having an elongated inner tubular member cyclically movable within a stationary elongated outer tubular member for use at a surgical site in a mode selected from the group of modes comprising an aspiration-only mode, an irrigation-only mode and an irrigating/aspirating mode comprising the steps of:
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forming a fluid inlet port in the wall of said outer tubular member; providing a fluid source; providing a fluid adapter means selectively engageable adjacent said port and with said fluid source for communicating fluid to said port; selectively connecting said fluid adapter means to said port and said source of fluid to communicate fluid to said port when operation of said shaver blade assembly in an irrigation-only mode or an irrigating/aspirating mode is desired; providing an aspiration source and connection means for connecting said shaver blade assembly to said aspiration source; selectively connecting said aspiration source to said shaver blade assembly when operation of said shaver blade assembly in an irrigating/aspirating mode or an aspiration-only mode is desired.
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24. A method of forming a shaver blade assembly having an elongated inner tubular member cyclically movable within a stationary elongated outer tubular member in order to make the shaver blade assembly capable of use in an irrigation-only mode, an aspiration-only mode and an aspiration/irrigation mode, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fluid port in the outer tubular member; providing a longitudinally extending channel between said inner and outer tubular members. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A conversion kit comprising:
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a shaver blade assembly comprising an elongated outer tubular member having a distal end, a proximal end, a cutting opening at said distal end, a hub at said proximal end, and an irrigating fluid inflow port in said outer tubular member intermediate said distal and proximal ends; an elongated inner tubular member adapted to move relative to said outer tubular member and having a distal end, proximal end, a cutting window at said distal end, and a hub at said proximal end; an elongated channel between said irrigating fluid inflow port and said cutting window, said channel defined by the inner surface of said outer member and the outer surface of said inner member and adapted to operate in an irrigation-only mode, an aspiration-only mode and an irrigation/aspiration mode; an adapter means for converting said shaver blade assembly to operate in one of said modes, said shaver blade assembly automatically set to operate in an aspiration-only mode when said adapter is not in communication with a source of irrigation.
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Specification