Surgical system for powered instruments

An arthroscopic handpiece for use in a surgical system comprising said handpiece, a set of surgical devices having different operational limits, each surgical device having on its proximal portion an indicator means for denoting its operational limit, and a motor for driving said handpiece;

• said handpiece comprising automatic sensor means adapted for sensing one of said indicator means denoting the operational limit of a respective surgical device received by said handpiece, said arthroscopic handpiece having means adapted to alternatively receive a proximal portion of said surgical device of the set for operation of the surgical device at its indicated operational limit, and said handpiece also comprising rotation means for rotating a member within the handpiece wherein said member has means adapted to be associated with a respective surgical device, said rotation means adapted to be driven by said motor, said handpiece further comprising means responsive to said automatic sensor means for controlling said rotation means, thereby establishing the operational limit, and
• said handpiece adapted for operation of a surgical device comprising, at its distal portion, a rotary tip that has an operational limit of rotation indicated by that surgical device,
• each surgical device defining a vacuum passage connectible at one end to a vacuum passage of a respective rotary tip, said arthroscopic handpiece defining a vacuum passage having means adapted for connection to the vacuum passage of the surgical device and for connection proximally to a source of vacuum for removal of tissue severed by operation of the rotary tip from the surgical site through the vacuum passage of said handpiece.