Tubular cutter having a talon with opposing, lateral cutting surfaces

摘要

Discectomy kits with obturator, guard cannulas are provided. The kits have a safe and efficient cutting heads for removing a target tissue from a subject during a surgical procedure are provided, the cutting heads composing a part of systems that address several problems, including clogging of state-of-the-art systems during removal of such tissue, for example. The target tissue can include any tissue that is accessible through a small surgical opening, for example, a joint tissue such as a meniscus or an intervertebral tissue, such as a nucleus pulposus. The devices can be referred to as orthopedic tissue removal devices having cutting heads associated with vacuum systems, making the systems useful in several procedures, including X-LIF (lateral approach to an intervertebral fusions) procedures, T-LIF (transforaminal approach to intervertebral fusions) procedures, P-LIF (posterior approach to intervertebral fusions), and a percutaneous, transforaminal approach (Kambin triangle access).

主权项

1. A tubular cutting head for removing a tissue from a subject, comprising:
a tube having an outer perimeter with a distal end, the outer perimeter circumscribing a lumen through the cutting head, the lumen having a central axis and in an operable communication with an at least substantially rigid tube; and, a cutting surface on the distal end of the outer perimeter, the cutting surface including a blade guard projecting distal to the cutting surface to protect a perimeter tissue from the cutting head during a removing of the nucleus pulposus of the subject; wherein, the blade guard includes
a first laterally-directed cutting surface pointing away from a plane that geometrically bisects the blade guard and the central axis; and,a second laterally-directed cutting surface opposing the first laterally-directed cutting surface and pointing away from the plane that geometrically bisects the blade guard and the central axis;and, wherein each of the first laterally-directed cutting surface and the second laterally-directed cutting surface include an apex pointed away from the plane that geometrically bisects the blade guard and the central axis.