Surgical instrument with plantary gear system

A method of removing a section of a structural member that is positioned in a patient comprising:

• attaching a receptacle of an output shaft to the section of the structural member that is to be removed;
• moving the output shaft axially relative to a planetary gear system and engaging the output shaft with the planetary gear system;
• rotating in a first direction an input member that is engaged with the planetary gear system and rotating the planetary gear system;
• and
• rotating the output shaft in the first direction through the planetary gear system and applying a force to the section of the structural member.

A method of removing a section of a structural member that is positioned in a patient comprising:

• providing a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument comprising:
• a housing;
• an input member partially positioned in the housing and including an input portion that extends outward from the housing, the input member being rotatable relative to the housing, the input member further including a sun gear;
• an elongated output shaft partially positioned in the housing and including a length to extend outward from the housing and include a receptacle configured to engage with the element, the elongated output shaft being rotatable relative to the housing;
• a planetary gear system positioned in the housing and including a plurality of planet gears that engage with and rotate around the sun gear, and an annular ring gear that extends around the sun gear and the plurality of planet gears and includes interior teeth that engage with the plurality of planet gears, the plurality of planet gears being rotatable relative to the housing and the ring gear being non-rotatable relative to the housing;
• the input member, the output shaft, and the planetary gear system being operatively connected for rotation of the input member in a first rotational direction resulting in rotation of the output shaft in the first rotation direction;
• attaching the receptacle of the output shaft to the section of the structural member that is to be removed;
• moving the output shaft axially relative to the planetary gear system and engaging the output shaft with the planetary gear system;
• rotating in the first direction the input member that is engaged with the planetary gear system and rotating the planetary gear system;
• and
• rotating the output shaft in the first direction through the planetary gear system and applying a force to the section of the structural member.

A system for removing a section of a structural member that is positioned in a patient comprising:

• a structural element comprising a shaft for engagement with tissue and an excess portion;
• and
• a surgical instrument comprising,
• a housing;
• an input member partially positioned in the housing;
• an elongated output shaft partially positioned in the housing opposite the input member, the output shaft configured to engage the structural element;
• a planetary gear system positioned in the housing and including a plurality of planet gears that engage with and rotate around the sun gear;