Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a hollow cylindrical member having a flexible region along at least a part of the hollow cylindrical member and a malleable tubing disposed over at least an outer surface of the flexible region of the hollow cylindrical member. The flexible region and the malleable tubing disposed over the flexible region can bend multiple times. The malleable tubing can maintain a bent orientation until the malleable tubing is re-bent by a user. The surgical instrument also includes connections that prevent the malleable tubing from moving longitudinally relative to the hollow cylindrical member. The malleable tubing may be made of various materials, one example of which is anodized, annealed aluminum.

Abstract: A surgical tool can include a main unit and a first rigid sheath. The main unit includes an inner tube that is received within an outer tube. The first rigid sheath removably receives the main unit and connects to the main unit via a coupling between a first connector portion of the main unit and a second connector portion of the rigid sheath. The first rigid sheath can be completely removed from the main unit when the first connector portion is decoupled from the second connector portion. A different rigid sheath having a different shape from the shape of the first rigid sheath can then be removably attached to the main unit instead of the first rigid sheath. A surgical tool kit includes a plurality of rigid sheaths having different shapes and having the ability to be removably attached to the main unit.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a hollow cylindrical member having a flexible region along at least a part of the hollow cylindrical member and a malleable tubing disposed over at least an outer surface of the flexible region of the hollow cylindrical member. The flexible region and the malleable tubing disposed over the flexible region can bend multiple times. The malleable tubing can maintain a bent orientation until the malleable tubing is re-bent by a user. The surgical instrument also includes connections that prevent the malleable tubing from moving longitudinally relative to the hollow cylindrical member. The malleable tubing may be made of various materials, one example of which is anodized, annealed aluminum.

Abstract: A flexible-shaft surgical instrument has a compression member that is distally movable to provide a compression force between the compression member and a distal compression bearing to compress a plurality of links and rigidly lock a semi-rigid tube formed by those links at any of a variety of user-selectable predetermined positions. The semi-rigid tube is configured to be bent and locked at the user-selectable predetermined position and, upon proximal movement of the compression member, returned to an unlocked state without significant plastic deformation of the semi-rigid tube.

Abstract: A surgical instrument having a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade that rotates within the first cutting blade during a cutting operation to cause cutting windows of the cutting blades to remove tissue from a patient also includes a suction passage forming member disposed over a suction aperture of the first cutting blade. The suction passage forming member includes an inlet, an outlet and a passage between the inlet and the outlet, the outlet communicating with the suction aperture. The surgical instrument can be used as a suction tool by applying a vacuum through an internal bore of the second cutting blade while the second cutting blade is stopped from rotating with the cutting windows of the first and second cutting blades misaligned with each other so that the vacuum is applied through the suction aperture and the suction passage forming member.

Abstract: A surgical instrument including a main unit and a suction conduit. The main unit includes at least one tubular body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an inlet disposed near the distal end. The suction conduit is slidably disposed over the main unit, and is slidably movable along the main unit between a retracted position, at which the suction conduit does not cover the inlet of the main unit, and an extended position at which the suction conduit covers the inlet of the main unit and a suction inlet of the suction conduit is placed in fluid-communication with the main unit inlet. The surgical instrument can be used as a suction tool by placing the suction conduit in the extended position and applying a vacuum through the inlet of the main unit and the suction inlet.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a hollow tubular member having a closed distal working end, a proximal end and an outer surface, with an opening in a side wall at or adjacent the distal working end. The instrument includes a first electrical insulation layer disposed on at least part of the outer surface of the hollow tubular member, a first electrode disposed on an outer surface of the first electrical insulation layer, and a second electrode disposed on the outer surface of the first electrical insulation layer. The first and second electrodes are electrically isolated from each other, and each includes an active segment and an inactive segment. The active segments of the first and second electrodes are disposed respectively on opposing sides of the hollow tubular member preferably within about 3.0 mm of the opening in the side wall of the hollow tubular member.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes first and second cutting blades, each including a tubular body having proximal and distal ends, with a cutting window disposed at a side of each cutting blade near its distal end. The second cutting blade rotates within the first cutting blade to cut tissue while a vacuum is applied through an internal bore of the second cutting blade. The distal end of each of the cutting blades includes a suction aperture. An area of the first cutting blade suction aperture is smaller than an area of the second cutting blade suction aperture. The instrument is used as a suction tool by applying the vacuum through the internal bore of the second cutting blade while the second cutting blade is stopped from rotating with the cutting windows of the first and second cutting blades misaligned with each other to apply the vacuum through the suction apertures.

Abstract: A surgical instrument has a hollow tubular member, and a pressurization unit that has an outer valve portion, a pressurization device having a movable part configured to generate pressurized fluid when the movable part is moved, and an inner valve portion. The inner valve portion includes a first flow passage that is configured to connect a first port and a second port of the outer valve portion to each other when the inner valve portion is in a first position, and a second flow passage that is configured to connect the first port of the outer valve portion to the pressurization device when the inner valve portion is in a second position. Pressurized fluid from the pressurization device causes the inner valve portion to move from the first position to the second position, thereby providing positive pressure to the hollow tubular member.

Abstract: A rotation sensor system is included with a surgical instrument having an outer tube, an inner rotating member rotatably disposed within the outer tube and a handpiece coupled to proximal ends of the outer tube and the inner rotating member. The rotation sensor system includes a magnetic member provided on the inner rotating member near the proximal end of the inner rotating member, a magnetically permeable member provided on the outer tube near the proximal end of the outer tube, and a sensor provided on the handpiece to sense magnetic flux of the magnetically permeable member adjacent to the sensor. This sensed magnetic flux can be used to determine the rotational position of the inner rotating member relative to the outer. tube. Such information can be used to control the position of the cutting member relative to the cutting window when a surgeon stops rotating the inner rotating member.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a main unit and a suction conduit. The main unit includes at least one tubular body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an inlet disposed near the distal end. The suction conduit is slidably disposed over the main unit, and is slidably movable along the main unit between a retracted position, at which the suction conduit does not cover the inlet of the main unit, and an extended position at which the suction conduit covers the inlet of the main unit and a suction inlet of the suction conduit is placed in fluid-communication with the main unit inlet. The surgical instrument can be used as a suction tool by placing the suction conduit in the extended position and applying a vacuum through the inlet of the main unit and the suction inlet.

Abstract: A powered surgical apparatus can be used with a source of irrigation fluid and a source of suction. The powered surgical apparatus can include a cutting blade assembly and a handle. The handle can include an upper portion defining a distal section connectable to the cutting blade assembly and a lower portion extending downwardly from the upper portion. The handle can be connectable to the source of irrigation fluid and the source of suction. The system can also include a manually actuable input device that provides at least one signal relevant to at least one operation of the system, and a controller that receives the at least one input signal and provides an output signal to perform the at least one operation of the system.

Abstract: A surgical instrument having a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade that rotates within the first cutting blade during a cutting operation to cause cutting windows of the cutting blades to remove tissue from a patient also includes a suction passage forming member disposed over a suction aperture of the first cutting blade. The suction passage forming member includes an inlet, an outlet and a passage between the inlet and the outlet, the outlet communicating with the suction aperture. The surgical instrument can be used as a suction tool by applying a vacuum through an internal bore of the second cutting blade while the second cutting blade is stopped from rotating with the cutting windows of the first and second cutting blades misaligned with each other so that the vacuum is applied through the suction aperture and the suction passage forming member.

Abstract: A rotation sensor system is included with a surgical instrument having an outer tube, an inner rotating member rotatably disposed within the outer tube and a handpiece coupled to proximal ends of the outer tube and the inner rotating member. The rotation sensor system includes a magnetic member provided on the inner rotating member near the proximal end of the inner rotating member, a magnetically permeable member provided on the outer tube near the proximal end of the outer tube, and a sensor provided on the handpiece to sense magnetic flux of the magnetically permeable member adjacent to the sensor. This sensed magnetic flux can be used to determine the rotational position of the inner rotating member relative to the outer. tube. Such information can be used to control the position of the cutting member relative to the cutting window when a surgeon stops rotating the inner rotating member.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a hollow cylindrical member having a flexible region along at least a part of the hollow cylindrical member and a malleable tubing disposed over at least an outer surface of the flexible region of the hollow cylindrical member. The flexible region and the malleable tubing disposed over the flexible region can bend multiple times. The malleable tubing can maintain a bent orientation until the malleable tubing is re-bent by a user. The surgical instrument also includes connections that prevent the malleable tubing from moving longitudinally relative to the hollow cylindrical member. The malleable tubing may be made of various materials, one example of which is anodized, annealed aluminum.

Abstract: A surgical instrument having a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade that rotates within the first cutting blade during a cutting operation to cause cutting windows of the cutting blades to remove tissue from a patient also includes a suction passage forming member disposed over a suction aperture of the first cutting blade. The suction passage forming member includes an inlet, an outlet and a passage between the inlet and the outlet, the outlet communicating with the suction aperture, and the inlet facing distally. The surgical instrument can be used as a suction tool by applying a vacuum through an internal bore of the second cutting blade while the second cutting blade is stopped from rotating with the cutting windows of the first and second cutting blades misaligned with each other so that the vacuum is applied through the suction aperture and the suction passage forming member.

Abstract: A flexible-shaft surgical instrument has a compression member that is distally movable to provide a compression force between the compression member and a distal compression bearing to compress a plurality of links and rigidly lock a semi-rigid tube formed by those links at any of a variety of user-selectable predetermined positions. The semi-rigid tube is configured to be bent and locked at the user-selectable predetermined position and, upon proximal movement of the compression member, returned to an unlocked state without significant plastic deformation of the semi-rigid tube.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a main unit and a suction conduit. The main unit includes at least one tubular body having a distal end, a proximal end, and an inlet disposed near the distal end. The suction conduit is slidably disposed over the main unit, and is slidably movable along the main unit between a retracted position, at which the suction conduit does not cover the inlet of the main unit, and an extended position at which the suction conduit covers the inlet of the main unit and a suction inlet of the suction conduit is placed in fluid-communication with the main unit inlet. The surgical instrument can be used as a suction tool by placing the suction conduit in the extended position and applying a vacuum through the inlet of the main unit and the suction inlet.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes first and second cutting blades, each including a tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end, with a cutting window disposed at a side of each cutting blade near its distal end. The second cutting blade rotates inside of the first cutting blade to cut tissue while a vacuum is applied through an internal bore of the second cutting blade. The distal end of each of the cutting blades includes a suction aperture through which a longitudinal axis of the cutting blades extends. The surgical instrument can be used as a suction tool in which the vacuum is applied through the suction apertures by applying the vacuum through the internal bore of the second cutting blade while the second cutting blade is stopped from rotating with the cutting windows of the first and second cutting blades misaligned with each other.

Abstract: A surgical instrument having a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade that rotates within the first cutting blade during a cutting operation to cause cutting windows of the cutting blades to remove tissue from a patient also includes a suction passage forming member disposed over a suction aperture of the first cutting blade. The suction passage forming member includes an inlet, an outlet and a passage between the inlet and the outlet, the outlet communicating with the suction aperture, and the inlet facing distally. The surgical instrument can be used as a suction tool by applying a vacuum through an internal bore of the second cutting blade while the second cutting blade is stopped from rotating with the cutting windows of the first and second cutting blades misaligned with each other so that the vacuum is applied through the suction aperture and the suction passage forming member.