when you need to
change the direction
of a hole mid-drill.
The same idea
applies to the latest
generation of saws
as well. Historically,
you could only
power up the saw
and use it with the
blade moving at full
speed. Now the controls let the tip move at different speeds,
depending on how the handpiece is used. Press the button down
fully, and the saw moves at full speed. A halfway push will move it
at half-speed. Having those slower options can help improve accura-
cy and is especially helpful when you're making delicate cuts, like
during knee resurfacing. This also reduces the risk of quickly slicing
through a bone and hurting a vital structure that's on the other side.
3
Improved working ends
Drill tips, saw blades and other "working -end" pieces now
come in various sizes, widths and curves to give your
orthopods a greater range of options during cases.
Saw blades have seen some of the biggest growth in this area.
Blades are becoming thinner and shorter, which makes them easier to
maneuver in delicate procedures. They also let surgeons be more pre-
cise when relying on templates for their cuts, like using jigs during
knee replacement surgery.
Oscillating-tip-only blades are another new feature some manufac-
turers offer in their saws. In these saws, only the very tip of the blade
6 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 6
• EASY ATTACHMENTS Reduce case time by shopping for power tools that have a "quick release"
function for attachments.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
