Patent ID: 8057500
Filing Date: 2011-11-15
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An angled rotary tissue cutting instrument for cutting anatomical tissue, comprising an elongate angled outer tubular member having a distal end, a longitudinal internal passage, an open proximal end communicating with said passage, an angled region between said distal end and said proximal end, and an opening in said distal end communicating with said passage; and a flexible inner member for being rotatably disposed within said outer tubular member, said inner member having a distal end, a proximal end, a tubular body between said distal end of said inner member and said proximal end of said inner member, a cutting element at said distal end of said inner member, said cutting element being exposed from said opening to cut anatomical tissue when said inner member is rotatably disposed within said outer tubular member, and a flexible region for being disposed within said angled region to transmit torque to rotate said cutting element while conforming to the configuration of said angled region when said inner member is rotated within said outer tubular member, said tubular body having a central longitudinal axis and a cylindrical wall with an external diameter surface, an internal diameter surface, and a wall thickness between said external diameter surface and said internal diameter surface, said flexible region consisting of a convoluted cut in said tubular body extending entirely through said wall thickness, said convoluted cut having a single starting end on said tubular body and a single terminating end on said tubular body, said convoluted cut being continuous from said starting end to said terminating end, said convoluted cut following a winding path extending longitudinally along said tubular body and extending in a rotational direction about said central longitudinal axis in a forward direction of said convoluted cut from said starting end to said terminating end, said convoluted cut consisting of a plurality of convoluted path areas rotationally spaced about said central longitudinal axis along said winding path between said starting end and said terminating end and a plurality of connecting path segments alternating individually with said convoluted path areas such that a single connecting path segment is disposed between successive convoluted path areas in said forward direction, said connecting path segments extending in said rotational direction along said tubular body, said convoluted cut following a convoluted path in said convoluted path areas in said forward direction of said cut comprising a first major curve of concave curvature extending from a next preceding one of said connecting path segments in a lateral direction away from said next preceding one of said connecting path segments, a first minor curve of concave curvature reverse from said curvature of said first major curve extending from said first major curve in an opposite lateral direction toward said next preceding one of said connecting path segments, a second minor curve of concave curvature reverse from said curvature of said first minor curve extending from said first minor curve in said opposite lateral direction, and a second major curve of concave curvature reverse from said curvature of said second minor curve extending from said second minor curve in said lateral direction to a next succeeding one of said connecting path segments, said first minor curve being within said second major curve and being spaced from said second major curve in a direction radial to said second major curve, said second minor curve being within said first major curve and being spaced from said first major curve in a direction radial to said first major curve, said convoluted cut in said tubular body imparting sufficient strength and rigidity to said flexible region for said flexible region to transmit torque to rotate said cutting element to cut anatomical tissue.