A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 4 5
Whatever it takes
Surgeons want their saws to cut quickly and precisely. They want their drills to
have enough torque to drive screws into dense bone, and high-speed, low-torque
settings to place hardware in smaller, less-dense bones. During small-bone sur-
gery in the foot and hand, saw blades need to be durable and thin to deliver
needed cutting power with minimal cut width. Yes, orthopedic surgeons have
their power tool wish lists, and rightfully so, but sometimes they need to be cre-
ative problem solvers and get the job done with what's available. "I'd grab a
chisel or Gigli saw if I had to," says Dr. Tierney. "You solve the problem and get
on with the case."
OSM
E-mail dcook@outpatientsurgery.net
