Patent ID: 7803170

Claim:
A rotary surgical instrument comprising an elongate tubular outer member including a central longitudinal axis, a proximal end, a distal portion, an internal lumen, an aperture in said distal portion establishing communication with said internal lumen, a first cutting edge extending longitudinally on said outer member along a side of said aperture, and a second cutting edge extending longitudinally on said outer member along an opposite side of said aperture; and an elongate tubular inner member adapted for being rotatably disposed within said internal lumen of said outer member, said inner member including a central longitudinal axis, a proximal end, a distal portion, an internal lumen, an aperture in said distal portion of said inner member establishing communication with said internal lumen of said inner member, a first row of a series of cutting teeth arranged in succession in the longitudinal direction on said inner member along a side of said aperture in said inner member, and a second row of a series of cutting teeth arranged in succession in the longitudinal direction on said inner member along an opposite side of said aperture in said inner member, each of said cutting teeth having a root, a tip, a convex side that curves convexly from said root to said tip in the longitudinal direction, an opposed side that extends from said root to said tip opposite said convex side, and a cutting edge extending entirely along said convex side from said root to said tip, each of said rows having said cutting teeth arranged in said row with said convex sides of said cutting teeth meeting said opposed sides of next adjacent cutting teeth at said roots of said cutting teeth, said first and second rows of said cutting teeth being moved past said aperture in said outer member when said inner member is rotated about said central longitudinal axis of said inner member within said outer member, said first and second rows of said cutting teeth cooperating with said first and second cutting edges on said outer member to cut anatomical tissue positioned in said aperture in said outer member.