Patent ID: 7909828

Claim:
An acetabular reamer, which comprises: a) a cutting shell defining a spherical center and having a shell curvature comprising at least a portion of a first hemisphere extending from an apex to a lower edge, the cutting shell being rotatable about a longitudinal axis; b) a plurality of cutting teeth thereon, wherein each cutting tooth comprises two buttress portions extending from the cutting shell and meeting an intermediate cutting edge having a curvature as a line segment of a second hemisphere, wherein the line segment comprises a continuum of cutting edge radii, each radii originating at the spherical center with the second hemisphere being greater than the first hemisphere of the cutting shell and wherein the plurality of cutting teeth are rotatable about the longitudinal axis; and an opening directly opposite each cutting tooth in an orientation of intended rotation of the reamer during cutting, wherein the opening comprises a first straight edge directly opposite the cutting edge, the first straight edge having a length extending to opposed ends thereof meeting second and third edge portions of the opening with the second and third edge portions in turn being directly connected to the respective buttress portions of the cutting tooth.