Appeal No. 96-2294
Application 08/278,558
APPENDIX
1. A surgical cutting instrument for use in cutting tissue
within an anatomical space, comprising:
an outer tubular member sized for percutaneous insertion
into the anatomical space, said outer tubular member defining a
central bore along the length of said outer tubular member and
having a proximal end and a distal end, said outer tubular member
further defining a cutting opening having a first cutting edge
adjacent said distal end and sized to receive tissue
therethrough, said cutting opening having a width dimension along
the length of said outer tubular member;
a handpiece for supporting said outer tubular member at said
proximal end;
a cutting member slidably disposed within said central bore
of said outer tubular member, said cutting member including:
a tubular cutting head portion defining an end opening and a
second cutting edge at said end opening, said cutting head
portion having a length dimension along the length of said
cutting member that is at least equal to said width dimension of
said cutting opening;
a tubular body portion extending through said central bore
from a distal end adjacent said cutting head portion to a
proximal end adjacent said handpiece, wherein said head portion
and said body portion have substantially the same outer diameter,
which outer diameter is sized relative to the inner diameter of
said outer tubular member to provide a close running fit; and
a hinge portion connecting said cutting head portion with
said body portion to permit pivoting of said cutting head portion
relative to said body portion; and
connecting means within said handpiece for connecting said
body portion of said cutting member to a source of reciprocating
motion to reciprocate said cutting member within said outer
tubular member so said second cutting edge traverses said first
cutting edge,
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Last modified: November 3, 2007