Patent ID: 8012153

Claim:
An electrosurgical instrument for removing target tissue, comprising: a shaft including a shaft distal end portion and a shaft proximal end portion, the shaft having a longitudinal void therein; a tissue removal port disposed at the shaft distal end portion; an elongate rotating member comprising at least one leading edge and housed longitudinally within the longitudinal void of the shaft, the rotating member adapted to rotate within the shaft, the rotating member coupled to a drive motor for driving rotation of the rotating member; a discrete active electrode disposed on a first portion of the tissue removal port edge, the active electrode adapted to electrosurgically remove at least a portion of the target tissue via molecular dissociation of target tissue components as the rotating member leading edge manipulates tissue toward the active electrode; an active electrode lead extending proximally from the active electrode and disposed internal to the shaft distal end portion; and a return electrode disposed at the instrument distal end on a second portion of the tissue removal port edge.