SURGICAL BLADE ASSEMBLY AND METHOD FOR REINFORCING A BLADE

A surgical blade 54 for a surgical saw is described. The surgical blade 54 comprises a body portion 58 having a proximal end 60, a distal end, and a length between the proximal and distal ends, with the body portion 58 having opposed top and bottom surfaces 64, 66 and opposed first and second side surfaces 68, 70 between the top and bottom surfaces 64, 66. The body portion 58 has one or more teeth that extend outwardly from at least one of the top and bottom surfaces 64, 66 and the body portion 58 has a first region 94 adjacent the proximal end 60 of the body portion 58 and a second region 96 adjacent the first region 94, with the opposed side surfaces 68, 70 defining a first thickness at the first region 94 of the body portion 58 and a second thickness larger than the first thickness at the second region 96 of the body portion 58. The surgical blade 54 further comprises a mount feature 112 to releasably attach the blade 54 to the surgical saw, wherein the mount feature 112 comprises a protrusion 112 extending outwardly from the body portion 58. The surgical blade 54 still further comprises a reinforcing member 56 integrally formed with the blade 54 and comprising a rib 135 extending from the second region 96 of the body portion 58 of the blade 54 and into the first region 94 at least far enough to be axially closer to the proximal end 60 of the body portion 58 than the mount feature 112 and to act as a strut to reinforce the body portion 58.