Mems micro debrider devices and methods of tissue removal

Abstract

Medical devices for shearing tissue into small pieces are provided. One exemplary device includes oppositely rotating first and second rotatable members, each located at least partially within a distal housing. The device also includes first and second circular axle portions, and first and second blades that are directly adjacent to one another and positioned to partially overlap such that tissue may be sheared between the first and second blades, between the first blade and the second axle portion and between the second blade and the first axle portion. The rotatable members are configured to engage tissue from a target tissue site with teeth of the first and second blades, rotate towards one another and inwardly to direct tissue from the target tissue site through a tissue engaging opening and into an interior portion of the distal housing. Methods of fabricating and using the above device are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A medical device for removing tissue from a subject, comprising:
 a distal housing configured with at least one tissue engaging opening;   an elongate member coupled to the distal housing and configured to introduce the distal housing to a target tissue site of the subject;   a first rotatable member located at least partially within the distal housing and configured to rotate about a first axis, the first rotatable member comprising a first disc-shaped blade having a series of teeth along an outer circumference of the blade, the first blade lying in a first plane; the first rotatable member further comprising a circular first axle portion lying in a second plane that is offset from, parallel and adjacent to the first plane, the first axle portion having an outer circumference that is smaller than that of the first blade, and   a second rotatable member located at least partially within the distal housing and configured to rotate about a second axis parallel to and radially offset from the first axis, the second rotatable member configured to rotate in a direction opposite of a direction of rotation of the first rotatable member, the second rotatable member comprising a second disc-shaped blade having a series of teeth along an outer circumference of the blade, the second blade lying in the second plane, the second rotatable member further comprising a circular second axle portion lying in the first plane, the second axle portion having an outer circumference that is smaller than that of the second blade,   wherein the first and second blades are directly adjacent to one another and positioned to partially overlap such that tissue may be sheared between the first and second blades, between the first blade and the second axle portion and between the second blade and the first axle portion, the rotatable members configured to engage tissue from the target tissue site with the teeth of the first and second blades, rotate towards one another and inwardly to direct tissue from the target tissue site through the tissue engaging opening and into an interior portion of the distal housing.   
     
     
         2 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the first rotatable member further comprises a third disc-shaped blade having a series of teeth along an outer circumference of the blade, the third blade lying in a third plane that is offset from, parallel and adjacent to the second plane, the second rotatable member further comprising a circular third axle portion lying in the third plane, the third axle portion having an outer circumference that is smaller than that of the third blade, wherein the second and third blades are directly adjacent to one another and positioned to partially overlap such that tissue may be sheared between the second and third blades and between the third blade and the third axle portion, the rotatable members configured to engage tissue from the target tissue site with the teeth of the first, second and third blades, rotate towards one another and inwardly to direct tissue from the target tissue site through the tissue engaging opening and into an interior portion of the distal housing. 
     
     
         3 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second blades are no more than 30 microns apart where they partially overlap. 
     
     
         4 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the outer circumference of the first blade is no more than 30 microns apart from the outer circumference of the second axle portion, and the outer circumference of the second blade is no more than 30 microns apart from the outer circumference of the first axle portion. 
     
     
         5 . The medical device of  claim 1 , where the first and the second blades and the first and the second axle portions each have a thickness of less than 1 mm. 
     
     
         6 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second rotation axes are generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the elongate member. 
     
     
         7 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the rotations of the first and the second rotatable members are synchronized such that a first trough associated with one of the teeth located along the outer circumference of the first blade and a second trough associated with one of the teeth located along the outer circumference of the second blade simultaneously engage a single fiber or single bundle of fibers from the target tissue site. 
     
     
         8 . The medical device of  claim 7 , wherein the first and the second troughs cooperate to compress portions of the single fiber or single bundle of fibers as the first and the second rotatable members rotate toward one another, thereby reducing the volume of the tissue entering the distal housing. 
     
     
         9 . The medical device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and the second rotatable members are independently driven. 
     
     
         10 . A method of fabricating the device of  claim 1 , comprising fabricating the first blade and the second axle portion together in a first material deposition process step and fabricating the second blade and the first axle portion together in a second material deposition process step. 
     
     
         11 . A method of using the device of  claim 1 , comprising urging the distal housing of the device against a target tissue site of a subject and extracting cut tissue pieces from a proximal end of the elongate member.