EP0791336A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Irrigating/aspirating shaver blade assembly
Assignee: Linvatec Corp
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Filing: 1997-02-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A shaver blade assembly useable in either an irrigation-only mode, an aspiration-only mode or an irrigation/aspiration mode. The shaver blade assembly has a stationary elongated outer tube and a movable (e.g. rotatable) elongated inner tube, both inner and outer tubes having hubs attached to their proximal ends for attachment to a handpiece which provides power to move the inner blade relative to the outer blade. The inner and outer tubes are provided with cutting windows at their distal tips and the relative movement between these cutting windows acts to cut tissue during surgical procedures. The outer tube is provided with a fluid inlet port at the proximal end of its tubular surface and a fluid adapter is selectively attachable to the outer tube so as to provide a means for introducing irrigating fluid into the fluid port. The adapter is integrally formed with sealing surfaces which obviate the need for O-rings and the like. A longitudinally extending irrigating channel is provided between the inlet fluid port at one end of the irrigating channel and the outlet fluid port at the distal end of the irrigating
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth M. Adams
- 👤 James Wallace
- 👤 Brian J. Fox
- 👤 Robert A. Van Wyk
- 👤 Gary R. Heisler
- 👤 David Castagnetta
- 👤 Cris Van Varsseveld
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 01:29
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/32; A61B17/320016; A61B17/32002; A61B2217/00; A61B2217/002; A61B2217/005; A61B2217/007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
144 words
A shaver blade assembly for use with a source of fluid and a source of aspiration for irrigating and/or aspirating a surgical site comprising: an elongated outer tubular member having a distal end, a proximal end, a cutting opening at said distal end, a hub at said proximal end, and an irrigating fluid port in said outer tubular member intermediate said distal and proximal ends; an elongated inner tubular member adapted to move within said outer tubular member and having a distal end, proximal end, a cutting window at said distal end, a hub at said proximal end; an elongated channel between said irrigating fluid port and said cutting window, said channel defined by the inner surface of said outer member and the outer surface of said inner member; a fluid adapter means for connecting said irrigating fluid port to said source of fluid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
24 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a fluid seal between the proximal ends of said inner and outer tubular members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 1 wherein said elongated channel is an annular cylindrical clearance space between said inner and outer tubular members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 1 wherein said elongated channel is a recess formed in the inner surface of said outer tubular member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 1 wherein said elongated channel is a recess formed in the outer surface of said inner tubular member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 5 wherein said elongated channel is a flat formed in the outer surface of said inner tubular member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 4 wherein said cutting opening at said distal end of said outer tubular member is closed by said inner tubular member at a predetermined angular position of said inner tubular member and wherein, at such angular position, said channel is in communication with said irrigating fluid port.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 3 wherein said cutting opening at said distal end of said outer tubular member is closed by said inner tubular member at a predetermined angular position of said inner tubular member and wherein, at such angular position, said channel is in enhanced communication with said source of aspiration.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 1 wherein the distal ends of said inner and outer tubular members are angled so that the axes of their distal ends extend at a predetermined angle to the axes of their proximal ends.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 1 wherein said fluid adapter comprises: an annular housing adapted to receive said shaver blade assembly; means for securing said adapter to said shaver blade assembly; an inlet port means for communicating fluid from said source of fluid to said irrigating fluid port.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 1 wherein said fluid adapter comprises fluid seals to minimize leakage between said adapter and said surface of said outer tubular member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 10 wherein said fluid adapter comprises means for securing said adapter in a predetermined angular position relative to said irrigating fluid port.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
An irrigating adapter for communicating fluid from a fluid source to a rotating shaver blade assembly having a fluid inlet comprising: an annular housing adapted to receive said shaver blade assembly; means for securing said adapter to said shaver blade assembly; an inlet port means for communicating fluid from said source of fluid to said irrigating fluid port.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
33 words
An adapter according to claim 13 further comprising: an annular fluid channel within said housing adapted to be juxtaposed adjacent said fluid inlet when said adapter is secured to said shaver blade assembly.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
106 words
A method for using a shaver blade assembly with a source of fluid, said shaver blade assembly having an elongated inner tubular member movable within an elongated outer tubular member, comprising the steps of: providing a fluid inlet port in the wall of said outer tubular member; providing a fluid adapter means for connecting said port to a source of fluid and communicating fluid thereto; selectively attaching said fluid adapter means to said shaver blade assembly and said source of fluid when irrigating fluid is desired at a surgical site; operating said shaver blade assembly while it is in operative communication with said source of fluid.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of adapting a shaver blade assembly having an elongated inner tubular member movable within an elongated outer tubular member for use at a surgical site in either an aspiration-only mode, an irrigation-only mode or an irrigating/aspirating mode comprising the steps of: forming a fluid inlet port in the wall of said outer tubular member; providing a fluid source and a fluid adapter means for selectively connecting said port to said source of fluid when operation in an irrigation-only mode or an irrigating/aspirating mode is desired; providing an aspiration source and connection means for connecting said shaver blade assembly to said aspiration source when operation in an irrigating/aspirating mode or an aspiration-only mode is desired.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
65 words
A method of forming a shaver blade assembly having an elongated inner tubular member movable within an elongated outer tubular member in order to make it capable of use in an irrigation-only mode, an aspiration-only mode and an aspiration/irrigation mode, comprising the steps of: providing a fluid port in the outer tubular member; providing a longitudinally extending channel between said inner and outer tubular members.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
97 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein said elongated channel comprises an elongated recess in the inner surface of said outer tubular member in communication with said fluid port, said recess terminating a predetermined distance from the distal tip of the outer member; further comprising: said inner member extending distally beyond said recess; an arcuate recess formed in the outer surface of said inner member, said arcuate recess extending longitudinally a predetermined distance in order to cyclically be in communication with the distal end of said recess when said arcuate recess is angularly aligned with said channel.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
111 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein said outer tubular member has a tear-drop cross-section having a predetermined arcuate portion of its wall radially extending outwardly a greater distance than adjacent wall portions in order to create a channel between said inner and outer members; further comprising: a distal tip means having a tear-drop cross-section at its proximal end for being mateably secured to the distal end of said outer tubular member, said distal tip means having an inner circular bore adapted to rotatably receive the distal end of said inner tubular member, a communicating channel means enabling communication between said elongated channel and the interior of said inner tubular member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
67 words
A kit comprising: a shaver blade assembly adapted to operate in either an irrigation-only mode, an aspiration-only mode or an irrigation/ aspiration mode; an adapter means for converting said shaver blade assembly to operate in either an irrigation-only mode or an irrigation/aspiration mode, said shaver blade assembly automatic-ally set to operate in an aspiration-only mode when said adapter is not in communication with a source of irrigation.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 10 further comprising integral proximal and distal seal means situated proximally and distally, respectively, of said inlet port means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
55 words
A shaver blade assembly according to claim 21 wherein said proximal seal means further comprises a radially inwardly extending annular lip and wherein said distal seal means further comprises a frustoconical annular surface having a predetermined radius of curvature and adapted to seat against a predetermined portion of said hub of said outer tubular member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
An irrigating adapter according to claim 13 further comprising integral proximal and distal seal means situated proximally and distally, respectively, of said inlet port means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
An irrigating adapter according to claim 23 wherein said proximal seal means further comprises a radially inwardly extending annular lip and wherein said distal seal means further comprises a frustoconical annular surface having a predetermined radius of curvature and adapted to seat against a predetermined portion of said hub of said outer tubular member.
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