An ultrasonic tip for use with a surgical handpiece to produce both longitudinal and torsional motion, the handpiece including an ultrasonic transducer disposed within a housing (20, 22), said ultrasonic tip comprising: a shaft having a longitudinal axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end having a first diameter and said distal end having a second diameter, wherein said first diameter is greater than said second diameter; a cutting feature coupled to said distal end of said shaft; and an aspiration lumen defined by said shaft, said aspiration lumen configured to extend along said longitudinal axis of said shaft, said aspiration lumen configured to be placed in fluid communication with the handpiece; characterized in that said shaft comprises a vibration conversion mechanism for converting a vibration energy transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer into a composite vibration composed of a longitudinal vibration along the longitudinal axis and a torsional vibration; and in that the ultrasonic tip further comprises: a protrusion on said shaft and positioned between said distal end and said proximal end with said protrusion being positioned distal to said vibration conversion mechanism along said longitudinal axis, a portion of said protrusion having a third diameter, wherein said third diameter is less than said first diameter and said third diameter is greater than said second diameter; and an aperture defined by said protrusion in fluid communication with said aspiration lumen, wherein said protrusion reinforces an area surrounding the aperture. a shaft having a longitudinal axis extending between a proximal end and a distal end, said proximal end having a first diameter and said distal end having a second diameter, wherein said first diameter is greater than said second diameter; a cutting feature coupled to said distal end of said shaft; and an aspiration lumen defined by said shaft, said aspiration lumen configured to extend along said longitudinal axis of said shaft, said aspiration lumen configured to be placed in fluid communication with the handpiece; characterized in that said shaft comprises a vibration conversion mechanism for converting a vibration energy transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer into a composite vibration composed of a longitudinal vibration along the longitudinal axis and a torsional vibration; and in that the ultrasonic tip further comprises: a protrusion on said shaft and positioned between said distal end and said proximal end with said protrusion being positioned distal to said vibration conversion mechanism along said longitudinal axis, a portion of said protrusion having a third diameter, wherein said third diameter is less than said first diameter and said third diameter is greater than said second diameter; and an aperture defined by said protrusion in fluid communication with said aspiration lumen, wherein said protrusion reinforces an area surrounding the aperture. a protrusion on said shaft and positioned between said distal end and said proximal end with said protrusion being positioned distal to said vibration conversion mechanism along said longitudinal axis, a portion of said protrusion having a third diameter, wherein said third diameter is less than said first diameter and said third diameter is greater than said second diameter; and an aperture defined by said protrusion in fluid communication with said aspiration lumen, wherein said protrusion reinforces an area surrounding the aperture.