Inter-vertebral disc rongeurs routinely come with the jaws straight or variously angled either up or down. On most patterns, regardless of the designated direction the jaws, only the cup of the upper shaft articulates. When the jaws point downward and the upper cup is in motion, the surgeon often finds his view parallel to the underside of the shaft and blocked by the fixed lower jaw at the most critical moment of grasping or cutting.

At times, one prefers the superior jaw to remain fixed while an animated lower jaw scoops upward. Buxton offers true down-bitting IVD rongeurs in 2 mm, 3 mm and 4 mm widths with cups angled at 30° on a 200 mm shaft length. Of course, additional cup sizes, angles and shaft lengths are possible variations that can be ordered.

Talking Back, Volume 1, Number 1