Patent ID: 7794393

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a blunt, enclosed distal end, the blunt, enclosed distal end being optically transparent over at least a portion of its area, the shaft further comprising a longitudinally extending fluid infusion channel, a side wall having i) a resection port therein, near the distal end, defining an enclosed working area within which tissue can be resected, and ii) at least one fluid export pore, a longitudinally extending return channel coupling the working area to the proximal end dimensioned for passage of the resected tissue from the working area to the proximal end, and a movable fluid routing switch within the shaft and near the distal end which, when in a first position, will cause fluid traveling within the fluid infusion channel from the proximal end to the distal end to exit the shaft via the at least one fluid export pore and, when in a second position, will cause fluid traveling within the fluid infusion channel from the proximal end to the distal end to be routed within the shaft near the distal end so that it will pass through the working area and along the return channel towards the proximal end.