Patent ID: 8721669

Claim:
A surgical method for treating a brain tumor of a patient, the method comprising: providing a surgical system including a surgical instrument comprising: an inner member including a distal cutting tip that includes a tubular surface and a distal surface that is conically shaped, extending from the tubular surface to a tip end, the distal surface forming an aperture, an outer member having a distal region that includes a tubular surface disposed about a central axis and a distal surface forming a cutting window, wherein the distal surface is conically shaped, extending from the tubular surface to a tip end at an angle defined with respect to a distal axis perpendicular to the central axis that is less than 45°, wherein the inner member is rotatably received within the outer member such that the cutting tip is exposed at the cutting window, the cutting tip and the distal region combining to define a cutting implement; creating an opening through a skull of the patient to provide external access to a target site at which the brain tumor is located; delivering the cutting implement through the opening and to the target site; plunging the surgical instrument toward the target site such that at least a portion of the tumor enters the cutting window; placing the cutting tip into contact with the tumor; moving the inner member relative to the outer member to cause the cutting tip to cut tissue of the tumor; selectively aspirating the target site to remove the cut tumor tissue through the cutting window and the aperture.