Bone Saws

Today's Medical Topic:  A history of bone saws.

Off the Top of My Head:  Bone saws have evolved in medicine over time from something you would find in your shed to the latest state-of-the-art stainless steel power tools used today.  Let's take a look at some of the highlights in the history of sawing through bone and flesh.

My Research Today:  The earliest known bone saws were probably bronze and developed by the Romans in the 4th Century A.D.  A notable saw was a cylinder with teeth on one end driven by a bow used to put holes in skulls.  Trepanation used to be much more popular than it is these days.

That would have worked if you hadn't stopped me.

In the 1600's steel bone saws came into popularity especially for battlefield amputations.  They came in all shapes and sizes but rarely differed from something you might cut wood with.  With improvements in metallurgy in the 1700's steel strength increased and lighter more delicate saws allowed for slightly less brutality.  More specialized saws for different tasks and surgeries were also created.

Still is pretty much a hack saw.

An interesting variant is a hand chain saw which first appeared in the 1850's or 60's.  A modern type is still sometimes used today.  They are used for limb amputations for crush injuries when the limb cannot be saved and the patient cannot otherwise be removed from the situation.  The chain is wrapped around the limb and quickly pulled back and forth with the handles.  It makes the amputation as quick as possible and saws though the flesh muscle and bone at the same time.

That's an 1860's model.

With better understanding of sterile procedure bone saws became stainless steel that could be autoclaved by the 1900's.  The overall shapes of the saws did not change a lot but the manufacturing of them became much less expensive and saws could be replaced easily instead of resharpened.

Still looks like you would cut wood with it.

The design above is called a Saterlee Saw and is a design that has existed since the Civil War. The first powered surgical bone saw was developed in 1880 but was expensive to produce and not available to most surgeons.  Saterlee saws were used well into the 1900's and may still be used today.

Ooh, Harvest Jet, that really
inspires confidence.

New state-of-the-art saws are actually lasers and high speed water jets that shoot sterile saline to cut bone and flesh.  The one above there is used for cutting out fat.  I am sure it is really cool and expensive.  They don't list the price so if you have to ask you can't afford it.  It does come in three different colors though.

Well, I am done for the night, have a good one.

Quest to 180:

Activity Today: Lots of walking today.  Over 12K steps.
Diet today:  My gum is getting better.


The MAN:
Confidence Level:  Better.
Social Engineering Tactics:  I bought a hat with hair already in it.

Questions or comments can be submitted to dudaday@gmail.com

Disclaimer:  I am not a health care provider, any information presented in this blog should not be considered advice it is mearly an outlet to slake my curiosity.  You should always consult your primary medical provider for any concerns or illness.  Unlike Tylenol, I am not approved by the FDA or American Medical Association to treat or provide relief for any ailment.