EP0836833A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotatable surgical burr
Assignee: Linvatec Corp
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Filing: 1997-10-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-10-13
Abstract
Abstract An elongated, rotatable surgical cutting instrument having a rotatable cutting element at the distal end of a bendable non-rotating elongated outer member. The instrument enables operation of various cutting devices such as a bendable rotatable burr. In one embodiment the cutting element is rotatably, but irremovably attached to the distal end of the outer member. The proximal end of the cutting element is then releasably attached to the distal end of a flexible coupling which in turn is attached to the distal end of an elongated inner member. The assembly is then rotatably secured within the outer member so the cutting element may be rotated via the inner member. An aspirating lumen extends through the cutting element, the flexible coupling and the inner member and the inner member may be removed from the outer member without detaching the cutting element therefrom. In another embodiment, the cutting element is removable from the outer member when the inner member is removed.
Inventors
- 👤 A. Frank Trott
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 11:20
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16C; F16C1/00; F16C1/02; F16C1/04; A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/320016; A61B17/32002; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B2017/2901; A61B2017/2904; A61B2017/2905; A61B2017/320032; F16C2316/00; F16C2316/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
173 words
A rotatable surgical cutter for use with a surgical
instrument for rotatably driving the cutter, said rotatable cutter
comprising: an elongated tubular inner member having a proximal
end, a distal end, an interior lumen and a hub at said proximal end
for attaching said inner member to a source of rotation within the
surgical instrument; an elongated tubular outer member having a proximal
end, a distal end and a hub at said proximal end for attaching said
outer member to the surgical instrument; a cutting tip means axially aligned with said distal
end of said outer member for cutting tissue, said cutting tip
comprising: an elongated member comprising a distal cutting
portion, a proximal connecting portion and an intermediate bearing
portion therebetween, said proximal connecting portion adapted to
releasably engage said distal end of said inner member and said
intermediate bearing portion adapted to enable rotation of said
elongated member relative to said outer member, said elongated
member further comprising an axial bore therethrough communicating
with said interior lumen of said inner member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
38 words
A rotatable surgical cutter according to claim 1
wherein said inner member further comprises an elongated flexible
coupling means having a proximal end and a distal end for
releasably engaging said cutting tip means and transmitting torque
thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
131 words
A rotatable surgical cutter according to claim 2
wherein said flexible coupling means comprises: a plurality of link element means for enabling the
transmission of torque from the proximal end of the flexible
coupling means to the distal end thereof, each link element means
comprising: a proximal portion having a substantially spherical
hexagonally segmented outer surface; a distal portion having a hexagonal recess adapted
to receive therein the proximal portion of an adjacent link element
means, the distal-most link element means, however, adapted to
receive therein the proximal connecting portion of said cutting tip
means; and rim means at the distal end of said hexagonal recess
for being pressed inwardly to irremovably join each said link
element means, except the distal-most link element means, to its
distally adjacent link element means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A rotatable surgical cutter according to claim 1
wherein said axial bore extends entirely through said distal
cutting portion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A rotatable surgical cutter according to claim 1
wherein said intermediate bearing portion has a length
approximately equal to the length of said distal cutting portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A surgical cutter according to claim 1 wherein said
intermediate bearing portion comprises a cylindrical bearing
circumferentially surrounding said elongated member and non-rotatably
secured to said distal end of said outer member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
164 words
A rotatable surgical cutter for use with a surgical
instrument for rotatably driving the cutter, said rotatable cutter
comprising: an elongated tubular inner member having a proximal
end, a distal end, an interior lumen and a hub at said proximal end
for attaching said inner member to a source of rotation within the
surgical instrument; an elongated tubular outer member having a proximal
end, a distal end and a hub at said proximal end for attaching said
outer member to the surgical instrument; a cutting tip means axially aligned with said distal
end of said outer member for cutting tissue, said cutting tip means
comprising: a unitary, elongated, hollow shell having a closed
distal end and an open proximal end, said open proximal end in
communication with the interior lumen of said inner member; a plurality of longitudinally extending openings
circumferentially arranged in, and about the axis of, said shell; at least one longitudinally extending cutting edge
associated with each one of said openings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
67 words
A surgical cutter according to claim 7 further
comprising an annular bearing surface secured to the distal end of
said outer tubular member wherein said open proximal end of said
cutting tip means comprises: a cylindrical wall having an annular, outer surface
for being rotated relative to said annular bearing surface and an
annular, inner surface for attachment to the distal end of said
inner tubular member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A surgical cutter according to claim 7 wherein said
cutting tip is rotatably and irremovably attached to the distal end
of said outer member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A surgical cutter according to claim 7 further
comprising: an annular first bearing ring secured to said distal
end of said outer tubular member for supporting said proximal end
of said cutting tip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
83 words
A surgical cutter according to claim 7 further
comprising: said inner tubular member provided with a flexible
portion along a predetermined portion thereof to enable said cutter
to be oriented in selected orientations relative to said hub of
said outer member; said cutting tip having an outside diameter less
than or equal to the inner diameter of said outer tubular member;
and said inner tubular member and cutting tip means
forming an assembly adapted to be proximally removable from said
outer tubular member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
65 words
A surgical cutter according to claim 7 further
comprising: said distal end of said cutting tip having a first
predetermined thickness in a direction parallel to the axis of said
device and a second predetermined thickness at a predetermined
radial distance from said axis adjacent the outer periphery of said
hollow interior passageway, said first predetermined thickness
being substantially equal to said second predetermined thickness.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A surgical cutter according to claim 7 further
comprising: a drill tip at said distal end, said drill tip
having at least one flute in communication with at least one of
said longitudinally extending openings.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of producing a rotatable surgical cutter
for use with a surgical instrument comprising the steps of: providing an elongated tubular inner member having
a proximal end, a distal end, an interior lumen and a hub at said
proximal end for attaching said inner member to a source of
rotation within the surgical instrument; providing an elongated tubular outer member having
a proximal end, a distal end and a hub at said proximal end for
attaching said outer member to the surgical instrument; attaching to the distal end of said outer member a
rotatable cutting element having a distal end and a proximal end; selectively engaging the distal end of said inner
member with the proximal end of said cutting element.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method according to claim 11 further comprising
the steps of: producing a bend in the outer member so that its
distal end will be aligned along an axis diverging from the axis of
its proximal end; providing flexible means on said inner member to
enable it to transmit torque to said rotatable cutting element past
said bend of the outer member.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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