Patent ID: 7837687

Claim:
A surgical instrument comprising: a distal body configured to attach to a handle assembly, the handle assembly communicating a non-reciprocating rotary input to the distal body when the distal body is attached thereto; a transmission that converts the non-reciprocating rotary motion to linear reciprocating motion; a blade coupled to said distal body, said blade connected to said transmission so that the linear reciprocating motion is communicated to the blade so that the blade slidably moves in a reciprocating linear manner by the rotary motion emanating from said handle assembly; the blade being elongate and having a generally straight proximal portion, a flexible medial portion, and a distal portion configured to remove bone from a mammal through the linear reciprocating motion; and a generally rigid blade guide adjacent the blade and coupled to the distal body, the blade guide having a bent portion in which the blade guide is curved; wherein the blade engages the blade guide so that the medial portion of the blade bends to generally conform to the curve of the blade guide bent portion.