Arthroscopic shaver handpiece with modular attachments

1. A method of performing an arthroscopic surgical procedure comprising the steps of:

providing a vacuum enabled arthroscopic shaver handpiece, a shaver blade and a modular attachment comprising a drill chuck;

attaching the shaver blade to the handpiece and using the handpiece to run the shaver blade during a first predetermined portion of the surgical procedure;

replacing the shaver blade with the modular attachment comprising the drill chuck by removing the shaver blade from the handpiece and attaching the modular attachment to the handpiece;

using the handpiece to run the modular attachment during a second predetermined portion of the surgical procedure.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said handpiece comprises a pencil grip style, which is a generally cylindrical body having a pencil grip portion encircling a longitudinal axis, the generally cylindrical body extending between a distal end of said handpiece and a proximal end of said handpiece; a motor drive shaft extending along said longitudinal axis; a vacuum tube at said proximal end; a vacuum control lever operable to control a degree of vacuum applied to said distal end; and motor control buttons positioned on said generally cylindrical body between said distal end and said vacuum control lever.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the modular attachment comprises a housing having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending a length of the housing through said proximal end of said housing and said distal end of said housing, said proximal end being adapted to be received within an opening defined by the distal end of said handpiece such that when said housing is connected to said handpiece, said longitudinal axis of said housing aligns with said longitudinal axis of said handpiece and a portion of said longitudinal axis of said housing is encircled by said pencil grip.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the drill chuck is secured to said distal end of said housing such that said drill chuck remains secured to said housing when said modular attachment is disconnected from and separated from said handpiece, said drill chuck serving as an adapter to receive a connecting end of an instrument in a distal end thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of operatively connecting a drivable shaft to said drill chuck, said drivable shaft extending though at least a portion of said housing, said drivable shaft remaining operatively connected to said drill chuck when said modular attachment is disconnected from and separated from said handpiece, and said drivable shaft having a proximal end configured to operatively engage said motor drive shaft.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of attaching said instrument to said drill chuck.

7. A method of performing an arthroscopic surgical procedure comprising the steps of:

providing a vacuum enabled arthroscopic shaver handpiece;

providing a shaver blade, attaching the shaver blade to the handpiece and using the handpiece to run the shaver blade during a predetermined portion of the surgical procedure;

removing the shaver blade from the handpiece;

providing a transverse attachment;

attaching the transverse attachment to the handpiece;

providing a modular attachment comprising a drill chuck;

attaching the modular attachment to the transverse attachment to run the modular attachment at a working axis that is 90 degrees from a longitudinal axis of said handpiece during a predetermined portion of the surgical procedure.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said handpiece comprises a pencil grip style, which is a generally cylindrical body having a pencil grip portion encircling a longitudinal axis, the generally cylindrical body extending between a distal end of said handpiece and a proximal end of said handpiece; a motor drive shaft extending along said longitudinal axis; a vacuum tube at said proximal end; a vacuum control lever operable to control a degree of vacuum applied to said distal end; and motor control buttons positioned on said generally cylindrical body between said distal end and said vacuum control lever.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the modular attachment comprises a housing having a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal axis extending a length of the housing through said proximal end of said housing and said distal end of said housing, said proximal end being adapted to be received within an opening defined by the distal end of said handpiece such that when said housing is connected to said handpiece, said longitudinal axis of said housing aligns with said longitudinal axis of said handpiece and a portion of said longitudinal axis of said housing is encircled by said pencil grip.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the drill chuck being secured to said distal end of said housing such that said drill chuck remains secured to said housing when said modular attachment is disconnected from and separated from said handpiece, said drill chuck serving as an adapter to receive a connecting end of an instrument in a distal end thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of operatively connecting a drivable shaft to said drill chuck, said drivable shaft extending though at least a portion of said housing, said drivable shaft remaining operatively connected to said drill chuck when said modular attachment is disconnected from and separated from said handpiece, and said drivable shaft having a proximal end configured to operatively engage said motor drive shaft.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of attaching said instrument to said drill chuck.