Patent ID: 8357175

Claim:
A neurosurgical tissue removal device comprising: a handpiece, an outer cannula having an outer cannula lumen, a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer cannula opening adjacent the distal end, wherein the opening is for receiving tissue to be severed, wherein the outer cannula opening is rotatable with respect to the handpiece; an inner cannula disposed in the outer cannula lumen and reciprocable within the outer cannula lumen, the inner cannula having an inner cannula lumen, a proximal end, an open distal end, and a cutting edge at the distal end; at least one position transducer rigidly associated with the handpiece, the position transducer operable for sending a locating signal indicative of a position in space of the distal end of the outer cannula; and an angular position sensor configured to determine an angular position of the outer cannula opening with respect to the at least one position transducer.