CHIRURGISCHER SCHNEIDEBLOCK

An improved surgical cutting block for guiding bone saws in joint surgery and similar instruments. The cutting block is provided with one or more cutting guides having cutting guide surfaces positioned on exterior faces of the block or along channels within the block. The cutting guide surface is formed of a material having a Knoop hardness of 466 or greater (under a 500 gm load or greater), a chrome content of less than 10% and a nickel content of less than 4%. According to another aspect of the invention, a method of cutting bone tissue utilizing the improved surgical cutting device is disclosed wherein heat-generated damage to bone tissue is reduced and production of toxic residue is minimized.