Patent ID: 6695849
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A rongeur for cutting bone or cartilage, comprising:a shaft terminating in a foot plate; a combined cutting element and storage member in moveable relationship to said shaft, said combined cutting element and storage member having a leading end and a trailing end opposite said leading end, said leading end having an opening and a cutting edge adapted to contact said foot plate and cut pieces of bone or cartilage, said combined cutting element and storage member having a storage area proximate said cutting edge in communication with said opening in said leading end, said storage area configured to collect and store an amount of bone or cartilage greater than a maximum amount of bone or cartilage capable of being cut when said cutting edge of said combined cutting element and storage member is at a position of maximal separation from said foot plate, said combined cutting element and storage member having a wall between at least a portion of said storage area and said shaft, said combined cutting element and storage member being configured to prevent any of the cut pieces of bone or cartilage stored in said storage area from being ejected from said storage area while said rongeur is being used to cut bone or cartilage; and a mechanism for providing reciprocal motion of said combined cutting element and storage member and said shaft relative to one another.