Irrigating saw blade

A surgical saw blade for use in tissue cutting comprising,

• a. a main body portion having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end being formed with saw teeth, said proximal end being formed with means for driving engagement with a drive means that moves said saw blade on an oscillatory path,
• b. said main body portion including an elongated recess, cover means for covering said recess to define an enclosed manifold space between said main body portion and said cover portion,
• c. fluid inlet means on said cover means for conveying fluid into said manifold space, and
• d. a plurality of fluid channels communicable with said manifold space and extending from said manifold space to said saw teeth.

A surgical saw blade for use in tissue cutting comprising,

• a. a main body portion having a proximal end and a distal end, and a longitudinal side edge intermediate said proximal and distal ends, said longitudinal side edge being formed with saw teeth, said proximal end being formed with means for driving engagement with a drive means that moves said saw blade on a reciprocatory path,
• b. said main body portion including an elongated recess, cover means for covering said recess to define an enclosed manifold space between said main body portion and said cover portion,
• c. fluid inlet means on said cover means for conveying fluid into said manifold space, and
• d. a plurality of fluid channels communicable with said manifold space and extending from said manifold space to said saw teeth.

A method of cutting tissue comprising,

• a. providing a blade with a cutting edge and forming a plurality of irrigation channels in the face of the blade such that the irrigation channels are directed into the cutting edge,
• b. forming a manifold in the blade to commonly communicate with each of the irrigation channels by joining a cover piece to the blade to define an enclosed manifold space between the cover piece and the blade,
• c. causing said blade to reciprocate and engaging said cutting edge with tissue in a cutting action,
• d. directing fluid into the manifold for movement through the manifold for dispersion from the manifold through the irrigation channels whereby a cutting action of the blade at the cutting edge is accompanied by dispersion of fluid through the irrigation channels to cool and lubricate the cutting action.