Surgical rongeur

A rongeur for cutting bone or cartilage, comprising:

• a body having a forward shaft terminating in a foot plate;
• a slide drive member slidable in relationship to said shaft;
• a slidable cutting/storage member removably attachable to said shaft, said cutting/storage member having a cutting means at its end proximate said foot plate and a storage means proximate said cutting edge for collecting and storing a plurality of cut pieces of bone or cartilage in an amount greater than the maximum bone or cartilage capable of being cut by said cutting means in a single cut;
• means for engaging said slide drive member to said cutting/storage member;
• means for engaging said cutting/storage member to said shaft;
• means for activating said slide drive member;
• and
• means for preventing upward excursion of said cutting/storage member along said foot plate.

A rongeur for cutting bone or cartilage, comprising:

• a body having a forward shaft terminating in a foot plate;
• a slide drive member slidable in relationship to said shaft;
• a cutting/storage member having a cutting means at one end proximate said foot plate and a storage means proximate said cutting means for collecting and storing a plurality of cut pieces of bone or cartilage in an amount greater than the maximum bone or cartilage cut by said cutting means in a single cut, whereby the area between said cutting/storage member and said foot plate is kept clear of cut bone or cartilage following cutting;
• a slidable housing member removably attachable to said shaft, said housing member having means for holding said cutting/storage member;
• means for engaging said slide drive member to said housing member;
• means for engaging said housing member to said shaft;
• and
• means for activating said slide drive member.

A rongeur for cutting bone or cartilage, comprising:

• a body having a forward shaft terminating in a foot plate;
• a slide drive member slidable in relationship to said shaft;
• a cutting/storage member having a cutting means at one end proximate said foot plate and a storage means proximate said cutting means for collecting and storing cut pieces of bone or cartilage;
• a slidable housing member removably attachable to said shaft, said housing member having means for holding said cutting/storage member;
• means for engaging said slide drive member to said housing member;
• means for engaging said housing member to said shaft;
• means for activating said slide drive member;
• means for locking said cutting/storage member to said shaft, said means for locking comprising:
• a stop pin depending from said slide drive member;
• a button assembly comprising an external button portion, a narrow diameter portion, a large diameter member having a rounded bottom portion and a flat top portion, a spring means, said narrow diameter portion having a depression for receiving said stop pin;
• said shaft having a recess with a rounded bottom for receiving said large diameter member, said shaft having an opening on one side adjacent and coaxial to said recess, said opening having a diameter larger than said narrow diameter portion and smaller than said external button portion;
• said narrow diameter portion and said large diameter member being disposed within said recess, said large diameter member being biased by said spring extending said external button portion external to said shaft, said large diameter member blocking said stop pin and locking the cutting/storage member onto said shaft
• whereby depressing the external button portion results in the compression of said spring means and moves said large diameter member further within said recess to align said depression with said stop pin for unlocking said cutting/storage member from said shaft.