The Evolution of Saws for Osseous Surgery

Zusammenfassung

Of all the human tissues, mature bone is the only one resistant to incision by sharp knives or scalpel blades; even blows of the sharpest axe or sword result, at best, in division by untidy bony comminution. However, the discovery that a roughened or serrated blade combined with drilling, scraping or sawing actions promoted clean penetration and accurate division of osseous material is lost in the mists of time [1], but was probably pioneered on animal bones. Within the historic period, operative procedures which advanced the evolution of surgical saws were initially

• skull penetration or trepanation

• amputation or dismembering, and more recently

• osteotomy

• arthrodesis, and

• joint excision including replacement procedures.