Importance

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Abstract

A surgical instrument for cutting tissue, which includes a housing, a cutting element movable between a retracted position disposed substantially within the housing and a deployed position extending outwardly from the housing, a guide member configured and dimensioned to direct orientation of the cutting element, operatively connected to the housing and defining a longitudinal axis, the guide member movable from a first orientation wherein the longitudinal axis of the guide member is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the housing to a second orientation wherein the longitudinal axis of the guide member is oriented at a predetermined angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing. A method for surgically removing tissue is also provided and includes the steps of inserting an instrument into an incision formed at the operative site, deploying a blade guide at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the instrument, deploying a cutting element from a retracted position to an exposed position such that the cutting element is guided by the blade guide, moving the cutting element through a predetermined path such that a section of tissue is separated from the surrounding tissue, and removing the cut tissue from the surrounding tissue.

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First Claim