Surgical endoscopic cutting device and method for its use

Abstract

A surgical endoscopic cutting device includes cutting elements fitted in a protective tube. The device has an inlet for fluid, a discharge outlet for tissue and fluid, and a further outlet that discharges most of the fluid.

1 . A surgical endoscopic cutting assembly, comprising: 
 a housing assembly having fitted therein a viewing channel and including a receiving part, and    a cutter including a cutting element, said cutter being received within said receiving part, said cutter defining a suction channel for discharging fluid and cut tissue,    the housing assembly defining a suction channel configured and arranged for discharging substantially only fluid, said housing assembly having an opening extending through a wall of said housing assembly in a distal portion of said housing assembly and in fluid communication with said housing assembly suction channel.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said housing assembly further comprises an outer insertion tube and an inner housing, said inner housing including said viewing channel and said receiving part, said housing assembly suction channel being bounded between said insertion tube and said inner housing.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 2  wherein said opening extends through a wall of said insertion tube in a distal portion of said insertion tube.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 3  wherein said insertion tube has a plurality of openings extending through said wall in said distal portion.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 2  further comprising a coupler configured to detachably fix said insertion tube to said inner housing.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said cutter extends beyond a distal end of said housing assembly.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of claim I wherein said cutter channel has a distal end located beyond a distal end of said housing assembly.  
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said cutter further comprises a protective tube extending around an inner member.  
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 8  wherein said cutter channel is defined within said inner member.  
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said housing assembly has a length of at least about 30 cm.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said viewing channel includes a lens and a connector configured for connecting to a camera.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said receiving part defines a fluid inlet channel bounded between said receiving part and said cutter.  
   
   
       13 . A surgical instrument, comprising: 
 a mechanical cutting implement configured to cut tissue,    a first member coupled to the cutting implement and defining a first channel configured and arranged relative to said cutting implement for removing fluid and cut tissue from a surgical site, and    a second member coupled to the cutting implement and defining a second channel configured and arranged relative to said cutting implement such that substantially only fluid is discharged form the surgical site through the second channel, said second member having an opening extending through a wall of said second member in a distal portion of said second member and in fluid communication with said second channel.    
   
   
       14 . The instrument of  claim 13  wherein said second member has a plurality of openings extending through said wall in said distal portion.  
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a motor coupled to the cutting element.  
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the motor is configured to rotate the cutting element for removing tissue in contact with the rotating cutting element.  
   
   
       17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the rotating cutting element includes a rotating grinding head for cutting tissue.  
   
   
       18 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the rotating cutting element includes sharp teeth that rotate to cut tissue.  
   
   
       19 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting element includes at least one sharp tooth for cutting tissue.  
   
   
       20 . The assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the cutter includes a protective tube for receiving the cutting element, the protective tube including at least one sharp tooth that meshes with the at least one sharp tooth of the cutting element for cutting tissue.