Patent ID: 8460327

Claim:
A tissue removal system, comprising: a tissue removal device, including: a handpiece; an outer cannula fixedly connected to the handpiece and having an outer cannula lumen, a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer cannula opening adjacent the distal end, wherein the opening defines a cutting edge for severing tissue; and an inner cannula disposed in the outer cannula lumen and reciprocable within the outer cannula lumen, the inner cannula having a hollow inner cannula lumen, a proximal end, an open distal end, a cutting edge at the distal end, a bending portion, and a living hinge wherein the bending portion is located between the inner cannula proximal end and the hinge, and wherein the open distal end of the inner cannula is pivotable about the hinge when the inner cannula is advanced distally within the outer cannula lumen such that the cutter edge at the distal end of the inner cannula pivots toward the cutting edge of the outer cannula; and a tube bender comprising a generally linear outer cannula retainer and a generally curved tube bending surface proximal of the outer cannula retainer, wherein the outer cannula retainer includes a channel, and the outer cannula of the tissue cutting device is insertable within the outer cannula retainer channel; wherein the tube bending surface defines a length that is substantially equal to the length of an inner cannula bending portion.