Cutter device

Disclosed herein is a cutter capable of removing soft and hard tissue when used with an atherectomy catheter of the type having a cutter housing attached to the distal end of a catheter having a torque cable. A circular cutting blade is disposed within the housing and is secured to the distal end of a rotatable torque cable. An elongated aperture formed along one side of the hosing allows the intrusion of stenotic material which may then be severed by rotating and axially translating the cutting blade. The cutting blade may be made from a cemented tungsten carbide compound of 90 percent tungsten carbide (WC) and 10 percent cobalt (Co) which is heated, injection molded and sintered to produce a hard, durable cutting edge. The cutting edge is coated with titanium carbonitride using a physical vapor deposition process to further increase durability. Cutting edge hardness is further increased by application of an ion implantation of nitrogen using an ion-beam assisted deposition process. A variety of alternative cutter materials, coatings and geometries are defined which improve cutter performance in removing soft and hard lesions.