Patent ID: 8029524

Claim:
An angled rotary tissue cutting instrument comprising an elongate tubular outer member including an outer member hub and an elongate tubular outer body having a distal end with an opening therein, a proximal end attached to said outer member hub, and an angled length portion between said distal end and said proximal end; and an elongate tubular inner member including an inner member hub and an elongate tubular inner body having a distal end with a cutting element, a proximal end attached to said inner member hub, a flexible coupling extending longitudinally between said distal end and said proximal end of said inner body and coupling said distal end of said inner body to said proximal end of said inner body, and an interior passage extending longitudinally within said inner body, said inner member being rotatably receivable within said outer member with said flexible coupling disposed within said angled length portion and said cutting element exposed from said opening to cut anatomical tissue when said inner member is rotated within said outer member, said flexible coupling comprising a plurality of spiral members, said plurality of spiral members consisting of an inner spiral member formed of a single flat strip of material wound in a first rotational direction, a middle spiral member disposed directly over said inner spiral member and formed of a single flat strip of material wound in a second rotational direction, opposite said first rotational direction, and an outer spiral member disposed directly over said middle spiral member and formed of a single flat strip of material wound in said first rotational direction, said flexible coupling having a terminal forward end attached to a terminal attachment end of said distal end of said inner body and having a terminal rearward end attached to a terminal attachment end of said proximal end of said inner body whereby said flexible coupling couples said distal end to said proximal end to form said inner body, said interior passage having a diameter along said flexible coupling defined by the interior of said inner spiral member, said strips of material of said inner spiral member and said outer spiral member each having a width equal to a first width and a thickness equal to a first thickness, and said strip of material of said middle spiral member having a width equal to a second width and a thickness equal to a second thickness, said first width being less than said second width and said first thickness being greater than or equal to said second thickness, said flexible coupling transmitting torque to rotate said cutting element to cut anatomical tissue while conforming to said angled length portion of said outer body.