MICRO-INVASIVE TISSUE REMOVAL DEVICE

摘要

An apparatus for removing tissue and/or other material from a patient is provided. The apparatus generally includes a handpiece (14) and a tissue removal mechanism (16) connected thereto. The tissue removal mechanism (16) includes a cannula (30) having an open distal tip and an outer diameter of less than about 5 mm or less than about 2mm. The mechanism further includes a rotatable element (34) having a distal portion (40) with helical threading. The distal portion of the rotatable element extends beyond the open distal tip of the cannula (30) in order to allow tissue to prolapse between turns of the helical threading. The apparatus is designed to draw soft tissue into the cannula (30) upon rotation of the rotatable element without the need for supplemental sources of aspiration.