Patent attributes
In various embodiments, a surgical instrument is provided. The surgical instrument comprises a blade defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the blade comprises a distal end, a lumen, a first opening adjacent to the distal end and communicating with the lumen, and a first cutting edge positioned over the first opening and projecting away from the longitudinal axis, wherein the first cutting edge extends along a curved contour defined in a cutting plane, and wherein the cutting plane is transverse to the longitudinal axis. The surgical instrument further comprises, one, a suction port communicating with the lumen, wherein the blade is configured to allow suction to be applied from the suction port to the first opening and, two, at least one ultrasonic transducer operably coupled to the blade.