Importance

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Abstract

A counter-balanced oscillating surgical saw for use in surgical procedures is described which greatly reduces the vibrations caused when the saw blades contact the patient's anatomy. The reduction of vibration is achieved by the present saw which uses two oscillating blades to counter the kinetic energy typically lost when only one blade is used. The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes at least two cutting blades mounted on at least two actuator blocks. The actuator blocks are preferably mounted on at least two shafts which extend from the top of the saw handle: a pivot shaft and a rotatable shaft which is rotated by an electric motor. At least two eccentric bearings are mounted to the rotatable shaft (one bearing for each actuator block) such that the bearings orbit about the rotatable shaft 180.degree. out-of-phase with respect to one another. The actuator blocks are positioned adjacent the eccentric bearings so that they move in a reciprocating manner about the rotatable shaft of the saw. The to-and-fro motion of the actuator blocks is transformed into a counter-balanced oscillating motion of the cutting blades. Mechanical vibration, rotational and linear momentum of the saw is greatly reduced during surgery because as the cutting blades oscillate about the point of incision, the momentum produced by one cutting blade is offset by the momentum produced by its counterpart cutting blade.

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First Claim