Ribbed surgical bur

A surgical bur for removing or excising tissue from a surgical site, said surgical bur including:

• an elongated shaft having opposed proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of the shaft shaped for coupling to a surgical tool capable of rotating the shaft;
• and
• a bur head attached to the distal end of the shaft, the bur head having:
• opposed proximal and distal ends, the proximal end of said bur head being adjacent the distal end of said shaft;
• a longitudinal axis that extends between the ends;
• and a plurality of flutes, each flute having:
• a rake surface that extends outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the bur head and having an outer end that defines a flute cutting edge wherein, in lateral planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bur head, the flute cutting edge is located a first radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the bur head;
• and
• a cam surface that extends arcuately away from flute cutting edge towards an adjacent flute wherein, in the lateral planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bur head, the cam surface is located a second radial distance from the longitudinal axis of the of the bur head such that in a common lateral plane, second radial distance is less than the first radial distance
• wherein, at least one said flute is further formed to have at least one rib that extends outwardly from the cam surface and extends arcuately over a portion of the cam surface, wherein said at least one said rib, in cross section in a plane intersecting the bur head longitudinal axis:
• extends outwardly and proximally away from the cam surface to a crest, the crest being the portion of said rib that is spaced radially furthest from the bur head longitudinal axis;
• and, proximally from the crest, extends inwardly back to the cam surface so that said rib extends radially outwardly from sections of the cam surface located both distal to and proximal to said rib.