Liquid jet surgical instruments incorporating channel openings aligned along the jet beam

A surgical instrument comprising:

• a distal end adapted to perform a surgical procedure on a patient and a proximal end;
• a pressure lumen configured and positioned to conduct a liquid from the proximal end towards the distal end of the instrument;
• a nozzle in fluid communication with the pressure lumen that is shaped to form a liquid jet as the liquid flows therethrough;
• and
• a channel, having a depth and a length, the length being defined along a longitudinal axis of the channel, the channel including a longitudinally-oriented opening to a surrounding environment extending along at least a portion of the length of the channel, wherein
• the channel is positioned adjacent to and downstream of the nozzle such that at least a portion of the liquid jet passes adjacent to, externally of, and along a length of at least a portion of the longitudinally-oriented opening of the channel, when the instrument is in operation.

A surgical instrument comprising:

• a distal end adapted to perform a surgical procedure on a patient and a proximal end;
• a pressure lumen configured and positioned to conduct a liquid from the proximal end towards the distal end of the instrument;
• a nozzle in fluid communication with the pressure lumen that is shaped to form a liquid jet as the liquid flows therethrough;
• and
• a channel, having a depth and an length, the length being defined along a longitudinal axis of the channel, the channel including a tissue-contacting portion including a longitudinally-oriented opening to a surrounding environment extending along at least a portion of the length of the channel, wherein
• the channel includes at least one vent aperture configured and positioned to provide fluid communication between an interior region of the channel and the surrounding environment when the longitudinally-oriented opening of the tissue-contacting portion of the channel is occluded, and wherein
• the channel is positioned adjacent to and downstream of the nozzle such that at least a portion of the liquid jet passes at least one of within the channel and adjacent to and along a length of at least a portion of the longitudinally-oriented opening of the channel, when the instrument is in operation.

A surgical instrument comprising:

• a distal end adapted to perform a surgical procedure on a patient and a proximal end;
• a pressure lumen configured and positioned to conduct a liquid from the proximal end towards the distal end of the instrument;
• a nozzle in fluid communication with the pressure lumen that is shaped to form a liquid jet as the liquid flows therethrough;
• and
• a channel, having a depth and a length, the length being defined along a longitudinal axis of the channel, the channel including a longitudinally-oriented opening to a surrounding environment extending along at least a portion of the length of the channel, wherein
• at least one of the shape, position relative the nozzle, and dimensions of the channel is selected so that the liquid jet formed by the nozzle undergoes less dispersion along its length, when the instrument is in operation, than would a liquid jet formed by an identical instrument, not including the channel.