Patent ID: 8303594

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising: a tubular member having an axis, a first end coupled to a drive housing and a second end coupled to a cutting apparatus including a rotatable and deflectable cutting element, wherein the second end of the tubular member defines a circumferential region; a drive shaft having a first end coupled to a rotatable drive member in the housing and a second end coupled to the cutting element, wherein the drive shaft translates rotational motion at the drive member to the cutting element to cause rotation of the cutting element; a thrust member having a first end within the housing and a second end coupled to a resilient member in the cutting apparatus, wherein the resilient member is coupled to the cutting element and bending of the resilient member causes movement of the cutting element away from the axis of the tubular member; a first fluid flow path extending from within the housing, through a bore defined in the tubular member, and terminating at the cutting apparatus; wherein the bore of the tubular member includes a second fluid flow path extending between the drive housing and the cutting apparatus and being distinct from the first flow path; wherein, in an at rest condition of the instrument, the cutting element is disposed within the circumferential region defined by the second end of the tubular member; wherein the first flow path or the second flow path is for receiving an optical waveguide having a lens tip positionable proximate the cutting apparatus; and a moveable member coupled to the first end of the thrust member and operable to set the instrument to a deflected condition, wherein when the instrument is in the deflected condition the moveable member applies a force at the first end of the thrust member causing the second end of the thrust member to bend the resilient member, such that the cutting element is moved away from the axis of the tubular member and is disposed at least partially outside the circumferential region defined by the second end of the tubular member, wherein, in the deflected condition of the instrument, an extent the cutting element is disposed outside the circumferential region is in accordance with an extent the thrust member is caused to move toward the cutting element by movement of the moveable member.