# US 2014/0155901 A1 · Surgical cutting tool > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155901 A1 - Document ID: US20140155901A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/693,426 - Filed: 2012-12-04 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-04 - Assignees: DePuy Synthes Products, Inc. - Applicants: Depuy Synthes Products, LLC - Inventors: Scott Jacobs - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155901A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/14: Surgical saws ({A61B17/1637 takes precedence;} dental saws for teeth A61C3/12) - A61B 17/1608: {the two jaw elements being linked to two elongated shaft elements moving longitudinally relative to each other} - A61B 17/32002: {with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments} - A61B 2017/320008: {Scrapers} - A61B 2017/320028: {with reciprocating movements} - A61B 2017/32006: {with a cutting strip, band or chain, e.g. like a chainsaw} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A surgical cutting tool including a first jaw and a second jaw operably associate with the first jaw such that the first jaw and the second jaw are movable relative to one another between an opened position and a closed position. A cutting member is movably attached to the first jaw so that the cutting member extends from the first jaw towards the second jaw, and an actuating mechanism is operably associated with the cutting member so as to cause the cutting member to move relative to the first jaw. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A surgical cutting tool, comprising: a first jaw having a proximal end and a distal end; a second jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, the second jaw operably associate with the first jaw such that the first jaw and the second jaw are movable relative to one another between an opened position and a closed position; a cutting member movably attached to the first jaw so that the cutting member extends from the first jaw towards the second jaw; and an actuating mechanism operably associated with the cutting member so as to cause the cutting member to move relative to the first jaw. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The surgical cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the cutting member is attached to the first jaw in such a way that the actuating mechanism causes the cutting member to reciprocate relative to the first jaw. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The surgical cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the cutting member is slidably attached to the first jaw. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The surgical cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the second jaw has a clamping surface facing the cutting member, and wherein the clamping surface has a channel formed therein configured to receive at least a portion of the cutting member when the first jaw and the second jaw are in the closed position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The surgical cutting tool of claim 1, further comprising: a first jaw support member having a proximal end and a distal end, the first jaw extending from the distal end of the first jaw support member; and a second jaw support member having a proximal end and a distal end, the second jaw extending from the distal end of the second jaw support member, wherein the first jaw support member and the second jaw support member are slidably coupled to one another. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The surgical cutting tool of claim 5, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are arranged in a parallel relationship with one another, and wherein the first jaw support member and the second jaw support member are arranged in a parallel relationship with one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The surgical cutting tool of claim 6, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are arranged in substantially perpendicular relationship relative to the first jaw support member and the second jaw support member. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The surgical cutting tool of claim 5, wherein the actuating mechanism is mounted to the first jaw support member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The surgical cutting tool of claim 5, further comprising: a handle extending from the proximal end of the first jaw support member; and a lever pivotally connected to the proximal end of the second jaw support member in such a way that movement of the lever relative to the handle causes the first jaw and the second jaw to move relative to one another. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The surgical cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are biased in the opened position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The surgical cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the distal end of the second jaw is tapered. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The surgical cutting tool of claim 1, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are substantially the same length. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The surgical cutting tool of claim 1, wherein each of the second jaw and the cutting member has a width, and wherein the width of the second jaw is greater than the width of the cutting member. ### Claim 14 A surgical cutting tool, comprising: a first jaw support member having a proximal end and a distal end; a first jaw extending from the distal end of the first jaw support member, the first jaw having a proximal end and a distal end, a second jaw support member having a proximal end and a distal end; a second jaw extending from the distal end of the second jaw support member and being in a substantially parallel relationship with the first jaw, the second member having a proximal end and a distal end; a cutting member movably attached to the first jaw so that the cutting member extends from the first jaw towards the second jaw; and an actuating mechanism operably associated with the cutting member so as to cause the cutting member to move relative to the first jaw, wherein movement of at least one of the first jaw support member and the second jaw support member causes the first jaw and the second jaw to move between an opened position and a closed position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The surgical cutting tool of claim 14, wherein the cutting member is attached to the first jaw in such a way that the actuating mechanism causes the cutting member to reciprocate relative to the first jaw. ### Claim 16 A method, comprising: positioning a first jaw on one side of at least one tissue of a patient; positioning a second jaw on an opposing side of the at least one tissue; actuating a cutting member mounted to the first jaw so that the cutting member moves relative to the first jaw; and moving the first jaw relative to the second jaw so as to cause the cutting member to cut through the at least one tissue positioned between the first jaw and the second jaw. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the tissue is at least a bone bridge positioned at a posterior aspect of a vertebra of the patient and created by forming at least one hole in the vertebra and decancellating at least a portion of the vertebra, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of: inserting the first jaw in the opening of the vertebra with the cutting member extending toward the bone bridge; and positioning the second jaw between the bone bridge and at least one of a spinal cord and a nerve root of the patient. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the tissue is further a posterior longitudinal ligament of the patient, and wherein the step of positioning the second jaw between the bone bridge and the at least one of the spinal cord and the nerve root, further comprises positioning the second jaw between the posterior longitudinal ligament of the patient and at least one of the spinal cord and the nerve root of the patient. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the step of actuating the cutting member further comprises the step of reciprocating the cutting member relative to the first jaw. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: positioning the first jaw on one side of another portion of the bone bridge; positioning the second jaw on an opposite side of the bone bridge relative to the first jaw between the bone bridge and at least one of the spinal cord and the nerve root; actuating the cutting member relative to the first jaw so that the cutting member moves relative to the first jaw; and moving the first jaw relative to the second jaw so as to cause the cutting member to cut through the other portion of the bone bridge positioned between the first jaw and the second jaw so as to define a detached bone segment. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of: clamping the detached bone segment between the first jaw and the second jaw; and removing the detached bone segment from the patient. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the step of positioning the second jaw between the bone bridge and the at least one of the spinal cord and the nerve root, further comprises positioning the second jaw between the posterior longitudinal ligament of the patient and at least one of the spinal cord and the nerve root of the patient so that the cutting member is caused to cut through the posterior longitudinal ligament to define a detached ligament segment. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of: clamping the detached bone segment and the detached ligament segment between the first jaw and the second jaw; and removing the detached bone segment and the detached ligament section from the patient.