Method of operating a rongeur for cutting and removing tissue

A method of operating a rongeur cutting system including a cutting unit having an outer tube and a cutting tube that is slidably disposed within the outer tube and configured to be coupled to a handpiece, the handpiece including a spindle comprising a coupling feature configured to engage the cutting tube, a power source configured to engage the spindle, and a cutting implement advancement and retraction assembly configured move the cutting tube longitudinally, said method comprising:

• operating the rongeur cutting system in a manual mode, the manual mode including moving the cutting tube longitudinally within the outer tube to manually cut tissue without utilizing the power source;
• and
• operating the rongeur cutting system in a power mode, the power mode including energizing a motor with the power source to actuate the cutting tube while manually moving the cutting tube longitudinally within the outer tube to cut tissue.

A method of operating a rongeur cutting system including a cutting unit having an outer tube and a cutting implement that is slidably disposed within the outer tube, a spindle comprising a coupling feature configured to engage the cutting implement, a power source configured to engage the spindle, and a cutting implement advancement and retraction assembly configured move the cutting implement longitudinally, said method comprising:

• manually operating the cutting implement advancement and retraction assembly to move the cutting implement longitudinally within the outer tube without activating the power source;
• and
• periodically actuating the power source to oscillate the cutting implement within the outer tube while manually operating the cutting implement advancement and retraction assembly to move the cutting implement longitudinally within the outer tube.