Patent ID: 8282661

Claim:
A multi-blade curette tool for use in spinal surgery comprising: an elongated member having a proximal end and a distal end; a handle disposed at the proximal end; a curette head having the shape of an ellipsoid disposed at the distal end and fixedly connected thereto, the curette head being integral and unitary with the elongated member, the curette head being generally tapered toward both the proximal end and the distal end, a first end of the curette head proximate the distal end being tapered to facilitate distraction and entry into a space between vertebral bodies and a second end of the curette head spaced from the distal end being tapered to facilitate removal of the curette head from the space, the curette head including: a convexly-shaped and generally tapered nose portion; a convexly-shaped and generally tapered base portion; a plurality of blades, each blade being generally rigid, fixed in shape, non-flexible and extending from the base portion to the nose portion and integrally attached along an entire length thereof, and each of the plurality of blades being provided with at least one cutting element having a generally planar outer peripheral surface and at least one sharpened edge extending tangentially to the outer peripheral surface from the first end to the second end of the curette head, at least a portion of each sidewall of each blade extending at an angle of less than 90° from the outer peripheral surface, the at least one cutting element of each blade being configured to remove spinal disk material upon rotation of the curette tool in at least one rotational direction; and at least two imaginary planes extending through and including a longitudinal axis of the curette tool and the curette head, each imaginary plane extending radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis, the at least two imaginary planes defining an angle of less than 180° and greater than 0° therebetween, at least one blade of the plurality of blades extending within one of the at least two imaginary planes and at least one other blade of the plurality of blades extending within another one of the at least two imaginary planes; and a drive stem coupling the handle to the curette head, wherein the drive stem is fixed with respect to the handle and the curette head.