Patent ID: 7338495

Claim:
An angled tissue cutting instrument comprising an elongate angled outer tubular member comprising a distal end, a proximal end, a bend between said distal end and said proximal end, and an opening at said distal end defining a cutting port; and an elongate flexible inner tubular member rotatably disposed in said outer tubular member and comprising a distal end, a proximal end, an elongate tubular body between said distal end of said inner tubular member and said proximal end of said inner tubular member, a cutting configuration at said distal end of said inner tubular member for exposure by said cutting port to cut anatomical tissue when said inner tubular member is rotated within said outer tubular member, a flexible region along said body disposed in said bend, said flexible region comprising a continuous helical cut formed along a length portion of said body, a coating of adhesive disposed over an outer surface of said body along said length portion, and a heat shrunk sleeve disposed over said length portion with a close diametric fit, with said adhesive bonding said sleeve to said outer surface of said body along said length portion, said flexible region conforming to said bend while transmitting torque to rotate said cutting configuration when said proximal end of said inner tubular member is rotated in forward and reverse rotational directions, said sleeve bonded to said body providing resistance to wind-up and unwinding of said length portion when transmitting torque.