Arthroscopic devices and methods

1. An arthroscopic cutter, comprising:

a handpiece having a motor drive;

a shaft assembly having a working end and a hub end;

an openable-closeable jaw structure at the working end of the shaft assembly; and

a hub at the hub end of the shaft assembly;

wherein the hub is configured for detachable coupling to the handpiece;

wherein the motor drive is configured to couple to the jaw structure to open and close the jaw structure to cut tissue when the hub is coupled to the handpiece; and wherein the openable-closeable jaw structure comprises a cup-shaped upper jaw having a U-shaped perimeter and a lower jaw having a U-shaped perimeter, said upper jaw being pivotally attached to the lower jaw, and said lower jaw being fixed to the working end of the shaft assembly, wherein the upper jaw can be reciprocated relative to the fixed lower jaw by the motor drive to cut tissue therebetween.

2. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the U-shaped perimeters of the upper and lower jaws of the jaw structure each have sharp edge portions configured for cutting tissue.

3. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the hub includes a gear mechanism configured to amplify an output torque of the motor drive to increase a closing force of the jaw structure.

4. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 3 wherein the gear mechanism increases the motor output torque by at least a factor of 10.

5. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 3 wherein the gear mechanism increases the motor output torque by at least a factor of 20.

6. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 3 wherein the gear mechanism increases the motor output torque by at least a factor of 40.

7. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 3 wherein the gear mechanism increases the motor output torque by at least a factor of 60.

8. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 3 wherein the gear mechanism increases the motor output torque to at least 10 in-lbs, 40 in-lbs, 60 in-lbs, or 80 in-lbs.

9. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 3 wherein the gear mechanism includes a planetary gear set.

10. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 3 further comprising a mechanism for converting a rotational motion of the motor drive to a linear motion to reciprocate an actuator member for opening and closing the jaw structure, wherein the gear mechanism is operatively coupled to the mechanism for converting the rotational motion.

11. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the motor drive is configured to open and close the jaw structure at a rate of at least 1 CPS (cycles per second).

12. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the motor drive is configured to open and close the jaw structure at a rate between 1 CPS and 100 CPS.

13. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the motor drive is configured to open and close the jaw structure at a rate between 1 CPS and 10 CPS.

14. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 further comprising a passageway extending through the shaft assembly to the working end, wherein said passageway is configured for connection to a negative pressure source.

15. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 14 wherein the handpiece includes an actuator for actuating the negative pressure source.

16. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 14 wherein the handpiece includes an actuator for actuating the motor drive and negative pressure source.

17. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 14 further comprising a processor configured to modulate the negative pressure source in response to actuation of the motor drive.

18. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 14 further comprising a processor configured to modulate the negative pressure source relative to a fully open position, partially open position or a closed position of the jaw structure.

19. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 further comprising a processor configured to control the motor drive to stop movement of the upper jaw relative to the lower jaw of the jaw structure in a selected default position.

20. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 19 further comprising a sensor in the handpiece configured to sense a magnet carried by a moving member coupled to the jaw structure to indicate the default position and non-default position.

21. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 20 wherein the default position is the jaw-open position.

22. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 20 wherein the default position the jaw-closed position.

23. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the handpiece includes an actuator for actuating the motor drive to open and close the jaw structure at a rate of at least 1 CPS (cycles per second).

24. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the handpiece includes an actuator for actuating the motor drive to move the jaw structure to a jaw-open position.

25. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the handpiece includes an actuator for actuating the motor drive to move the jaw structure to a jaw-closed position.

26. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the U-shaped perimeters of the upper and lower jaws of the jaw structure includes RF electrode edge portions configured for cutting tissue.

27. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein each of the lower jaw and the upper jaw have an edge portion configured for shearing tissue.

28. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the lower jaw of the jaw structure has at least one a cup-shaped jaw geometry adapted for cutting and capturing tissue.

29. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein at least one of the upper jaw or the lower jaw has a metal cutting edge.

30. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein at least one of the upper jaw or the lower jaw includes a ceramic material.

31. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein at least one of the upper jaw or the lower jaw has a ceramic cutting edge.

32. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the lower jaw of the jaw structure has a U-shaped slot therein which allows the cup-shaped upper jaw to pivot downwardly therethrough.

33. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 1 wherein the upper jaw pivots around a pivot point in a lower jaw housing.

34. The arthroscopic cutter of claim 33 wherein the upper jaw is reciprocated by an axial actuation rod which is attached to a location on the upper jaw that is offset from the pivot point.