Apparatus and methods for removing vertebral bone and disc tissue

摘要

Tissue removal probes comprise an elongated member, a drive shaft rotatably disposed within the member, and a rotatable tissue removal element mounted to the distal end of the drive shaft. One tissue removal element comprises a plurality of tissue-cutting filaments affixed at proximal and distal ends of the tissue removal element. The cutting filaments may have optional hinge points that allow the distal end of the tissue removal element to be inverted, thereby transforming the tissue removal element from a tissue-cutting device to a tissue-grasping device. Another tissue removal element may have a blunted tip to prevent distal tissue trauma and an irrigation port to provide irrigation fluid to the removed tissue and/or tissue removal element. Another tissue removal element has a proximal and distal spiral grooves that are oppositely pitched, so that removed tissue can be collected in the middle of the tissue removal element.

主权项

1. A tissue removal probe, comprising:
an elongated member having a lumen; a drive shaft rotatably disposed within the member lumen; and a rotatable tissue removal element mounted to a distal end of the drive shaft, the tissue removal element having a plurality of tissue-cutting filaments affixed at proximal and distal ends of the tissue removal element, wherein each filament comprises a midpoint and a hinge distal of the midpoint, such that the hinge divides the respective filament into two filament segments, including a first filament segment located proximal to the hinge and a second filament segment located distal to the hinge, and wherein the filaments are configured to resect tissue as the drive shaft rotates the tissue removal element.