Reciprocating cutting tool

Abstract

The invention relates to a reciprocating cutting tool such as a surgical file system for precisely removing bone and/or other tissue material. The system allows a user to maneuver the system and navigate into hard to access site. The tool may be used to perform a spinal decompression by removing tissue that impinges a spinal nerve.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A modular surgical instrument comprising:
 a rotary drive operable to output rotary motion;   a transmission coupled to the rotary drive, the transmission including an input portion and an output portion, the transmission being operable to convert rotary motion at the input portion to linear reciprocating motion at the output portion;   a blade coupled to the output portion of the transmission in linearly reciprocating relationship, the blade including a shaft extending from a first end to an opposite second end, the second end including cutting elements, the second end reciprocating in response to reciprocation of the output portion;   a blade housing enclosing the blade first end and shaft such that all of the moving parts of the blade are enclosed except for the second end.   
     
     
         2 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein the transmission is releasably engageable with the rotary drive. 
     
     
         3 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 2  further comprising a fluid path between the second end of the blade and a reservoir. 
     
     
         4 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 1  further comprising a sliding drive member coupled to the output portion of the transmission and interposed between the output portion of the transmission and the second end of the blade, the drive member comprising a polymer and the second end of the blade comprising a metal. 
     
     
         5 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein the output portion of the transmission is enclosed in a transmission housing, the transmission housing having a dimension transverse to the direction of linear reciprocating motion of the output portion and the blade housing having a dimension transverse to the direction of linear reciprocating motion of the first end of the blade, the transmission housing mating with the blade housing, the blade housing being narrower near the second end of the blade than near the first end of the blade. 
     
     
         6 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 5  wherein the blade housing transitions from a generally curved profile near the blade first end to a generally flat profile near the blade second end. 
     
     
         7 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein the blade housing has a first side and an opposite second side, an opening being formed in the first side for exposing the cutting elements and the second side forming a tissue shield. 
     
     
         8 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 1  wherein the blade and blade housing have a proximal end nearer the handle and a distal end nearer the cutting elements and the blade and blade housing are bent near the distal end to allow cutting around a corner. 
     
     
         9 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 8  wherein the blade housing is relatively rigid and the blade is relatively flexible, the blade bending to follow the bend in the blade housing as the blade reciprocates. 
     
     
         10 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 8  wherein the blade housing is narrower near the distal end. 
     
     
         11 . The modular surgical instrument of  claim 10  wherein the powered surgical instrument includes an optical pathway allowing visualization of the distal end of the blade.