Angled rotary tissue cutting instrument with flexible inner member
First Claim
1. An angled rotary tissue cutting instrument comprisingan outer member including a rigid tube having proximal and distal portions connected by a bend and a cutting window defined at a distal end of said tube;
- and an inner member rotatably disposed within said outer member and including an inner tube of integral one-piece construction with a helical cut formed therein in a first direction to define a flexible region adjacent said bend, a cutting tip disposed at a distal end of said inner tube adjacent said cutting window, and a first strip of material spirally wound over said helical cut in a second direction opposite said first direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An angled rotary tissue cutting instrument includes an outer member or blade, having a rigid outer tube with proximal and distal portions connected by a bend, and an inner member or blade rotatably disposed within the outer member and including an inner tube of integral one-piece construction having a spiral cut formed therein between proximal and distal ends thereof to define a flexible region adjacent the bend, and at least one layer of a spirally wound strip of material superimposed over the spiral cut portion of the inner tube. The spiral cut preferably extends to a cutting tip at the distal end of the inner tube so that the inner member can be bent closer to the distal end thereof to access difficult to reach areas of the head and neck, and other parts of the body.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An angled rotary tissue cutting instrument comprising
an outer member including a rigid tube having proximal and distal portions connected by a bend and a cutting window defined at a distal end of said tube; - and
an inner member rotatably disposed within said outer member and including an inner tube of integral one-piece construction with a helical cut formed therein in a first direction to define a flexible region adjacent said bend, a cutting tip disposed at a distal end of said inner tube adjacent said cutting window, and a first strip of material spirally wound over said helical cut in a second direction opposite said first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of fabricating an angled rotary tissue cutting instrument comprising the steps of
(a) forming an inner member by: -
(i) forming a helical cut in a first direction in an inner tube;
(ii) forming a cutting tip at a distal end of the inner tube; and
(iii) wrapping a first strip of material spirally over the helical cut in a second direction opposite said first direction;
(b) forming an outer member having a rigid tube with a cutting window at a distal end;
(c) inserting the inner member into the outer member such that the cutting tip is disposed adjacent the cutting window; and
(d) bending the outer member in the vicinity of the helical cut. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
(iv) wrapping a second strip of material spirally over the helical cut in the first direction. -
18. A method of fabricating an angled rotary tissue cutting instrument as recited in claim 17 wherein said step of forming the inner member further includes the steps of
(v) securing opposite ends of the first strip of material to the inner tube on opposite sides of the helical cut; - and
(vi) securing opposite ends of the second strip of material to the inner tube on opposite sides of the first strip of material.
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19. A method of fabricating an angled rotary tissue cutting instrument as recited in claim 18 wherein said steps of securing opposite ends of the first and second strips of material includes welding the strip ends 360°
- about the circumference of the inner tube.
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20. A method of fabricating an angled rotary tissue cutting instrument as recited in claim 14 wherein said step of forming a helical cut is performed using an inner tube of integral one-piece design.
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21. A method of fabricating an angled rotary tissue cutting instrument as recited in claim 20 wherein the inner tube includes a hollow distal end and said step of forming a cutting tip includes forming an opening with cutting edges in the hollow distal end of the inner tube.
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22. A method of fabricating an angled rotary tissue cutting instrument as recited in claim 20 wherein the inner tube includes an open distal end and said step of forming a cutting tip includes inserting a neck at the proximal end of a bur into the open distal end of the inner tube and forming a side-facing opening in the inner tube adjacent the cutting tip.
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Specification