Abstract:
A medical bur comprises a bur head comprising a cutting portion being arranged and configured to rotate at least one controllable pre-determined speed and a stop portion being arranged and configured to move independently with respect to the cutting portion.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is based on and claims priority to co-pending U.S. provisional patent application entitled “Medical Bur” filed on Sep. 19, 2002 and accorded serial No. 60/411,967, which is entirely incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The invention generally relates to systems and developments related to surgical instruments and, more particularly, relates to medical burs.  
         DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART  
         [0003]    High-speed rotational cutting burs are used in various medical applications. Generally, cutting burs can be used to cut through hard biological matter, such as bone, during surgery or other medical procedures. Typical surgical burs include a cutting head mounted toward one end of a shaft. The shaft can be releasably attached to a handle that supplies power to rotate the bur, typically at a high rate of speed. Various bur/shaft combinations are typically interchangeable with any given handle. As such, the bur shape and size is interchangeable to one handle. During any given surgical procedure, the bur may be used in close proximity to exposed soft tissue, such as nerve, muscle, or the like. For example, surgical cutting burs are often used during spinal surgery to cut into a vertebral body. In this application, the high speed rotating cutting bur is often used in close proximity to the spinal cord. The spinal cord itself is soft and fragile and is surrounded by a thin protective film called the dura. Misplacement or slippage of the bur during use in that environment can result in a detrimental outcome for the patient.  
           [0004]    Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    Medical burs are provided. An embodiment of a medical bur, comprises a bur head comprising a cutting portion being arranged and configured to rotate at at least one controllable pre-determined speed and a stop portion being arranged and configured to move independently with respect to the cutting portion.  
           [0006]    Other systems, methods, features and/or advantages will be or may become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and/or advantages be included within this description, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    Many aspects can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawing are not necessarily to scale. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the views.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of a medical bur. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a medical bur  10 . The medical bur  10  comprises a bur head  12  and a shaft  14 . The bur head  12  preferably comprises at least a cutting portion  16  and a stop portion  18 . In a preferred embodiment, the cutting portion  16  occupies approximately two-thirds of the volume of the bur head  12 . It should be understood, however, that a cutting portion  16  may occupy more or less than two-thirds of the volume of the bur head  12 . The cutting portion  16  comprises a cutting surface  20 . The cutting surface  20  can comprise any suitable textured surface, for example a grooved surface, a pitted surface, or the like.  
         [0010]    Another portion of the volume of the bur head  12  comprises the stop portion  18 . The stop portion  18  comprises a substantially smooth surface. It is preferred that the stop portion  18  is a separate member from the cutting portion  16 . It should be noted that although the bur head  12  is illustrated as being substantially spherical in shape, the bur head  12  can be formed in many different shapes such as, but not limited to, barrel-shaped, elliptical, acorn-shaped, or any other suitable shape.  
         [0011]    The bur head  12  is supported by the shaft  14  extending from the cutting portion  16  of the bur head  12 . A handle  22  is disposed on the shaft  14  opposing the bur head  12 . A preferred shaft  14  is arranged and configured to provide distance between the bur head  12  and a handle  22  and to rotate the cutting portion  16  of the bur head  12 . The handle  22  releasably receives the shaft  14 . The handle  22  can supply power to the shaft  14  and/or bur head  12  for rotation. Power can be supplied by batteries, DC power, or any suitable source. The handle  22  is also grasped by the user of the medical bur  10  during use. The bur head  12  can be supported by any suitable member that can provide power to a portion of the bur head  12  and free rotation to another portion of the bur head  12 . Likewise, power can be supplied to the portion of the bur head  12  arranged and configured for power rotation by any suitable power supply.  
         [0012]    The cutting portion  16  of the bur head  12  is arranged and configured to rotate at a desired speed and is powered by a power supply. The stop portion  18  is fixed to the cutting portion  16  and/or the shaft  14  in a freely rotational manner. As such, the stop portion  18  is substantially free-moving about the axis of connection in a rotational direction. It is preferable that the stop portion  18  does not rotate under power but instead is free to move in a rotational direction as necessary upon coming into contact with a material, such as but not limited to soft tissue. In the event that the bur head  12  contacts soft tissue as a result of misplacement or slippage while the cutting portion  16  is utilized, the stop portion  18  contacts the soft tissue rather than the cutting portion  16  making contact. The free-moving rotational configuration allows the stop portion  18  to absorb some of the force of the contact with the soft tissue, thereby reducing or eliminating damage to the soft tissue.  
         [0013]    It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, particularly, any “preferred” embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and protected by the following claim.