Abstract: Disclosed are nozzles and nozzle assemblies of liquid jet-forming surgical instruments, surgical instruments employing such nozzles and/or nozzle assemblies, and methods of fabricating the nozzle assemblies in forming surgical instruments. Also, disclosed are liquid jet-forming surgical instruments including both liquid jet-forming nozzles and optional evacuation lumens, which when provided can be configured to receive the liquid jet and evacuate the liquid forming the liquid jet. Certain embodiments of such surgical instruments include inventive nozzle alignment component(s) to facilitate alignment of the nozzles and evacuation lumen upon assembly. In certain embodiments, surgical instruments are provided that include a nozzle that is shaped to form a liquid jet, which has surfaces that are optically smooth.

Abstract: Techniques are described for making one-piece tubes for surgical instruments in which an inner tube that carries a cutting implement is disposed for movement within an outer tube having a cutting window that exposes the cutting implement to tissue. Swaging is performed to close an end of a tubular member that is to serve as either the inner tube or the outer tube. Other processing steps are also performed. For example, a selected amount of a protrusion formed by the swaging is cut away, the tube material is fused together at a seam formed by the swaging, and the closed distal end of the tubular member is formed into a selected shape. For example, the selected shape is rounded so that the distal end defines convex (e.g., substantially hemispherical) interior and exterior distal surfaces. This renders the tube suitable for use in full-radius surgical instruments. Alternatively, the selected shape is flattened so that the distal end defines flattened interior and exterior distal surfaces.

Abstract: Techniques are described for making one-piece tubes for surgical instruments in which an inner tube that carries a cutting implement is disposed for movement within an outer tube having a cutting window that exposes the cutting implement to tissue. Swaging is performed to close an end of a tubular member that is to serve as either the inner tube or the outer tube. Other processing steps are also performed. For example, a selected amount of a protrusion formed by the swaging is cut away, the tube material is fused together at a seam formed by the swaging, and the closed distal end of the tubular member is formed into a selected shape. For example, the selected shape is rounded so that the distal end defines convex (e.g., substantially hemispherical) interior and exterior distal surfaces. This renders the tube suitable for use in full-radius surgical instruments. Alternatively, the selected shape is flattened so that the distal end defines flattened interior and exterior distal surfaces.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprises an inner tube which rotates within an outer tube and carries a surgical tool that includes a burr for cutting tissue exposed to the burr through an opening in the outer tube. The instrument includes several features which enhance the efficiency at which tissue fragments severed by the burr are aspirated through the inner tube, and which enable the burr to effectively cut relatively soft tissue as well as harder tissue such as bone. For example, the burr includes a proximal shank having a wall that has an aperture therein with a substantial width relative to an outer diameter of the wall for conveying tissue fragments cut by the burr into an interior chamber of the shank, and thence into a passage in the inner tube. The opening in the outer tube is axially elongated sufficiently to expose a major portion of the aperture.