Patent ID: 8579926

Claim:
An intravascular medical device comprising: an elongate tubular body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an outer diameter; a housing coupled to the distal end of the elongate tubular body, the housing having distal and proximal sections, each section having distal and proximal ends, the proximal end of the proximal section connected to the tubular body, the proximal end of the distal section connected to the distal end of the proximal section, an inner surface of the distal section of the housing defining an interior space, the distal section of the housing including a distal segment shaped to extend radially inwardly with respect to a longitudinal axis of the housing to define an opening at the distal end of the distal section of the housing; a rotatable cutting element positioned within the interior space of the housing, the rotatable cutting element having distal and proximal ends and a lumen extending between the proximal and distal ends, the cutting element having a first outer dimension smaller than an inner dimension of the housing and larger than a dimension of the opening at the distal end of the distal section of the housing and larger than a dimension of an opening in the distal end of the proximal section of the housing; a flexible drive shaft connected to the rotatable cutting element extending through the elongate tubular body, the flexible drive shaft having a lumen aligned with the lumen of the cutting element, the lumens being sized and configured to accept a guidewire; and a control at the proximal end of the elongate tubular body and comprising a drive motor configured to transmit rotation to the flexible drive shaft, wherein the cutting element has a second outer dimension smaller than the dimension of the opening at the distal end of the distal section of the housing, wherein the cutting element comprises an outer surface with at least one cutting blade extending outwardly from the outer surface, the cutting blade extending in a helical pattern for one revolution or less about the cutting element, wherein a distal portion of the cutting blade extends through the opening at the distal end of the distal section of the housing.