Patent ID: 8435243
Filing Date: 2013-05-07
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A reamer, which comprises: a) a cutting shell having a shell curvature comprising at least a portion of a first hemisphere, the cutting shell, extending from an apex shell portion to a lower edge, the cutting shell being rotatable about a longitudinal axis; said cutting shell comprising: b) a plurality of rib portions spaced apart from each other by an intermediate gap, each intermediate gap extending from a lower edge of the apex shell portion to the lower edge of the cutting shell, the rib portions having a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the leading edge is positioned adjacent the trailing edge of a sequential rib portion; c) a tissue cutting surface positioned along a portion of the leading edge, wherein the tissue cutting surface comprises at least two reamer cutting teeth spaced apart by an intermediate notch, each of the notches having a radius of curvature that extends from one cutting tooth to an adjacent cutting tooth, and extends into a width of the rib from the leading edge toward the trailing edge; and d) wherein the notch provides two opposing buttress portions of the cutting shell meeting an intermediate cutting edge curvature as an imaginary line segment of a second imaginary hemisphere, the imaginary line segment comprising a continuum of cutting edge radii, each radii originating at a spherical center of the second hemisphere, the second imaginary hemisphere having a greater cross-sectional diameter than and being coincident with the first hemisphere of the cutting shell.