Tissue removal systems with articulating cutting heads
First Claim
1. An articulating tubular cutting head for removing a tissue from a subject, comprising:
- a tube having an outer perimeter with a distal end, the outer perimeter circumscribing a lumen through the cutting head, the lumen having a central axis and in an operable communication with an at least substantially rigid tube; and
,a cutting surface on the distal end of the outer perimeter, the cutting surface including a blade guard projecting distal to the cutting surface to protect a perimeter tissue from the cutting head during a removing of the nucleus pulposus of the subject;
wherein, the blade guard includesa first laterally-directed cutting surface pointing away from a plane that geometrically bisects the blade guard and the central axis; and
,a second laterally-directed cutting surface opposing the first laterally-directed cutting surface and pointing away from the plane that geometrically bisects the blade guard and the central axis;
and, wherein each of the first laterally-directed cutting surface and the second laterally-directed cutting surface include an apex pointed away from the plane that geometrically bisects the blade guard and the central axis; and
,wherein,the central axis of the lumen is at an angle, θ
1, ranging from about 5°
to about 90°
from the central axis of the rigid tube, and the forward cutting blade is located about 3 mm to about 25 mm from the vertex of the angle, θ
1; and
,the operable communication between the cutting head and the rigid tube is articulating, and the angle, θ
1, is adjustable.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Articulating, safe and efficient cutting heads for removing a target tissue from a subject during a surgical procedure are provided, the cutting heads composing a part of systems that address several problems, including clogging of state-of-the-art systems during removal of such tissue, for example. The target tissue can include any tissue that is accessible through a small surgical opening, for example, a joint tissue such as a meniscus or an intervertebral tissue, such as a nucleus pulposus. The devices can be referred to as orthopedic tissue removal devices having cutting heads associated with vacuum systems, making the systems useful in several procedures, including X-LIF (lateral approach to an intervertebral fusions) procedures, T-LIF (transforaminal approach to intervertebral fusions) procedures, P-LIF (posterior approach to intervertebral fusions), and a percutaneous, transforaminal approach (Kambin triangle access).
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. An articulating tubular cutting head for removing a tissue from a subject, comprising:
-
a tube having an outer perimeter with a distal end, the outer perimeter circumscribing a lumen through the cutting head, the lumen having a central axis and in an operable communication with an at least substantially rigid tube; and
,a cutting surface on the distal end of the outer perimeter, the cutting surface including a blade guard projecting distal to the cutting surface to protect a perimeter tissue from the cutting head during a removing of the nucleus pulposus of the subject; wherein, the blade guard includes a first laterally-directed cutting surface pointing away from a plane that geometrically bisects the blade guard and the central axis; and
,a second laterally-directed cutting surface opposing the first laterally-directed cutting surface and pointing away from the plane that geometrically bisects the blade guard and the central axis; and, wherein each of the first laterally-directed cutting surface and the second laterally-directed cutting surface include an apex pointed away from the plane that geometrically bisects the blade guard and the central axis; and
,wherein, the central axis of the lumen is at an angle, θ
1, ranging from about 5°
to about 90°
from the central axis of the rigid tube, and the forward cutting blade is located about 3 mm to about 25 mm from the vertex of the angle, θ
1; and
,the operable communication between the cutting head and the rigid tube is articulating, and the angle, θ
1, is adjustable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification