Patent ID: 11918246
Assignee: GYRUS ACMI, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A surgical device, comprising:
an elongated, hollow outer shaft;
an elongated inner shaft movable within the outer shaft and including a flexible inner shaft portion that is more flexible than at least one of a more proximal or more distal portion of the inner shaft;
a cutting element located at a distal portion of the inner shaft and configured to move with the inner shaft, the outer shaft configured to expose the cutting element as the inner shaft moves; and
a plurality of bearings located between the inner shaft and the outer shaft along a length of the inner shaft,
the bearings configured to space the flexible inner shaft portion with respect to the outer shaft as the inner shaft moves,
the plurality of bearings including a proximal bearing located proximate a proximal portion of the flexible inner shaft portion,
the proximal bearing having a proximal bearing thickness measured radially outward from the inner shaft to the outer shaft,
the plurality of bearings including a distal bearing located proximate a distal portion of the flexible inner shaft portion,
the distal bearing having a distal bearing thickness measured radially outward from the inner shaft to the outer shaft,
the plurality of bearings including an intermediate bearing located between the proximal bearing and the distal bearing,
the intermediate bearing having an intermediate bearing thickness measured radially outward from the inner shaft to the outer shaft,
the intermediate bearing thickness being less than the proximal bearing thickness and less than the distal bearing thickness.