Patent ID: 8574249

Claim:
An atherectomy catheter comprising: a body having an opening; a rotatable shaft coupled to the body, the rotatable shaft being rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the shaft; a cutting element coupled to the rotatable shaft, the cutting element having a cup-shaped surface and a cutting edge, the cup-shaped surface being configured to re-direct tissue cut by the cutting edge in a distal direction when the cup-shaped surface moves in the distal direction; a tissue collection chamber coupled to the body and positioned distal to the cutting element, the tissue collection chamber comprises a sheath defining a lumen for receiving cut tissue from the cutting element, and a displaceable tip at a distal region of the sheath, the displaceable tip being displaceable relative to the sheath between a first closed position capable of retaining cut tissue in the sheath and a second open position capable of allowing expulsion of cut tissue from the sheath, the displaceable tip being attached to the sheath in both the first closed and second open positions; and an actuator axially movable relative to the sheath to impart displacement of the tip between the first closed position and the second open position.