Patent attributes
A tissue-removing catheter includes a tissue-removing element operatively connected to a drive shaft for rotation of the tissue-removing element about an axis of rotation in a cutting direction. In some embodiments, the tissue removing element has a cutting blade and cutting teeth positioned radially inward of the cutting blade with respect to the axis of rotation. The cutting blade and cutting teeth are fixed with respect to one another to form first and second cuts in tissue as the tissue-removing element rotates. In certain embodiments, the tissue-removing element includes a cutting blade and raised elements spaced apart inward of the cutting blade relative to the axis of rotation to define an annular tissue-receiving channel between the cutting blade and the raised elements. A bottom surface of the channel can define cutting teeth.
