Patent ID: 8303593

Claim:
A system for forming a channel in a bone comprising: a guide wire having a leading and trailing end; and a rotatable boring tool having proximal end and a distal end, said distal end including a cutting element, and said proximal end adapted to be connected to a power source for rotating said tool to bore into bone, said tool having a wall surrounding an axial bore for slidably receiving said guide wire, said bore being adapted to permit said guide wire to slide axially through said bore when said tool is connected to said power source and while said tool is boring into bone, and said wall adjacent said proximal end having an elongated opening therethrough in communication with said bore, said elongated opening being adapted to permit viewing of axial sliding movement of said guide wire trailing end during rotation of said boring tool while said tool is connected to said power source and said tool is boring into bone; wherein the guide wire is extendable into the bone distally beyond the cutting element of the boring tool and up to a desired depth of the channel to be formed by the cutting element.