Method of making microstructural surgical instruments

A method of making a microstructural shaped article from a substrate workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a metal mold comprising a predetermined shape to be imparted to the substrate workpiece;
• (b) securing the metal mold in ultrasonic energy-transmissive relationship to an ultrasonic horn;
• (c) providing the substrate workpiece in a fixed position in alignment with the metal mold in ultrasonic energy-transmissive relationship to an ultrasonic horn;
• (d) disposing between the metal mold and the substrate a fine grain slurry of solid particles which are energy-transmissive of ultrasonic energy;
• and
• (e) ultrasonically milling the substrate workpiece with the ultrasonic horn energized and the metal mold in compressive bearing relationship to the substrate through the fine grain slurry of solid particles disposed between the metal mold and substrate, for sufficient time to form said predetermined shape in the substrate workpiece, wherein said substrate workpiece is mounted on a base member during said ultrasonic milling.

A method of making a microstructural shaped article of a predetermined shape from a substrate workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an energy-transmissive shaping member comprising a metal die or a machining electrode;
• (b) securing the energy-transmissive shaping member in energy-transmissive relationship to an energy source;
• (c) providing the substrate workpiece in a fixed position in alignment with the energy-transmissive shaping member in an energy-transmissive relationship to the energy source;
• (d) disposing directly between the energy-transmissive shaping member and the substrate workpiece only a fine grain slurry of solid particles which are energy-transmissive of energy from said energy source;
• and
• (e) milling the substrate workpiece with the energy source energized and the energy-transmissive shaping member in direct compressive bearing relationship to the substrate through the fine grain slurry of solid particles disposed directly between the energy-transmissive shaping member and the workpiece substrate, for sufficient time to form said predetermined shape in the substrate workpiece.