Patent ID: 7105003
Filing Date: 2006-09-12
Classification: A61B,F16C

Abstract:
1. A surgical instrument for the removal of tissue, the instrument comprising: an outer tube having an opening in a distal region thereof for accepting the tissue; an inner tube disposed within said outer tube, said inner tube having a rigid proximal region for transmitting forces or momenta acting on said inner tube proximal region to a distal region of said inner tube, said inner tube having a flexible region between said inner tube proximal region and said inner tube distal region, said inner tube comprising a wall in said flexible region, said wall having a slit in said flexible region, said slit winding in a helical path about a longitudinal axis of said inner tube, said slit meandering back and forth with respect to said helical path, wherein said meandering slit defines alternating teeth and recesses, each recess having an associated tooth and each tooth being disposed in a recess, said teeth and said recesses having a shape which prohibits an axial slippage of said teeth out of said recesses, wherein said slit has a width of less than approximately 1 mm and said wall of said inner tube has a thickness between approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 0.7 mm, with said helical path having a pitch of more than approximately 0.5 mm/winding; and a cutting tool disposed at said distal region of said inner tube for cutting the tissue subjected to an influence of said cutting tool in a vicinity of said opening in said distal region of said outer tube.