Patent ID: 8277393

Claim:
A tissue cutting device comprising: an outer cannula defining an outer lumen and a tissue-receiving opening adjacent a distal end of said outer cannula communicating with said outer lumen; an inner cannula slidably disposed within said outer lumen defining an inner lumen from an open distal end to an open opposite proximal end, said inner cannula defining a cutting edge at said open distal end operable to sever tissue projecting through said tissue-receiving opening, wherein the inner cannula is configured such that said severed tissue entering the tissue-receiving opening can be aspirated through the inner lumen, and completely through a handpiece; a rotary motor operably coupled to said inner cannula and configured to rotate said inner cannula within said outer lumen; a tubular axle for supporting said rotary motor for movement with said inner cannula; and a linear motor operably coupled to said tubular axle and configured to axially reciprocate said rotary motor, and thereby said inner cannula, while said rotary motor rotates said inner cannula; wherein the tubular axle is configured such that said severed tissue entering the tissue-receiving opening can be aspirated linearly from a distal most end of the tubular axle, completely through and exit out of a proximal most end of the tissue cutting device and the tubular axle.