Surgical instrument positioning system
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument positioning system comprising:
- an elongate member having proximal and distal ends; and
a tip positioning mechanism located at the distal end of the elongate member, wherein the tip positioning mechanism includes a plurality of inflatable members.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A percutaneous tissue removal apparatus having a flexible drill shaft, a cutting tip mounted on the shaft a power source for transmitting motion to the shaft to move the cutting tip against tissue and a suction source for removing tissue fragments along the shaft to a location outside the tissue mass while cutting. The apparatus may include a container for collecting one or more selected components of the harvested tissue fragments for implantation of the fragments preferably into the body of the patient from whom they were removed. Where the tissue to be cut is bone, a cutting tip is preferably made of a polymeric material which is softer than the cortical portion of the bone, although the cutting tip may be made of a ceramic or a composite material. A second flexible shaft may be provided either within or about the flexible drill shaft.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument positioning system comprising:
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an elongate member having proximal and distal ends; and
a tip positioning mechanism located at the distal end of the elongate member, wherein the tip positioning mechanism includes a plurality of inflatable members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A surgical instrument positioning system for positioning a surgical instrument having a sleeve with proximal and distal ends, the system comprising:
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a plurality of positioning elements extending along the sleeve, with each of the plurality of positioning elements selectively actuatable to either straighten or bend the respective positioning element; and
a control mechanism for controlling the actuation of at least one of the plurality of positioning elements, wherein actuation of at least one of the plurality of positioning elements flexes the sleeve to assume a non-linear shape. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification