Patent ID: 9173673
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method for removing tissue, comprising: positioning a selectively steerable tissue removal device at a site within a disc space, the tissue removal device having an elongate member with at least one selectively deployable tissue-cutting element and first and second tethers extending through the tissue removal device and eccentrically coupled at a distal end of the tissue cutting element, wherein a distal end of the tissue removal device is configured to be steered in multiple directions relative to a longitudinal axis of the tissue removal device by applying a force to at least one of the first and second tethers; applying a force to the first and second tethers to cause the at least one tissue-cutting element to move from a non-deployed insertion configuration to a deployed, tissue-cutting configuration in which the tissue-cutting element is radially extended relative to the insertion configuration; and manipulating the tissue removal device within the disc space to cut and remove selected disc tissue.