Patent ID: 8100927

Claim:
An ultrasonic dermatome comprising: a body including a handle; an ultrasonic frequency generator mounted to the handle; a blade assembly drivingly coupled to the frequency generator so as to be selectively resonated at a natural frequency, said blade assembly including a blade element presenting proximal and distal ends, said blade element presenting a cutting edge along the distal end, with the cutting edge being operable to cut a skin graft; and a gauge bar supported by the body and positioned adjacent the cutting edge to engage the skin, said gauge bar and cutting edge being spaced apart to present a graft opening through which the skin graft is operable to pass when cut, said blade assembly being supported by the body to define a distal cantilevered blade section that includes the cutting edge, with any supporting contact between the blade assembly and body being generally at a node, said distal cantilevered blade section being spaced apart from the body and the gauge bar to restrict the body and the gauge bar from touching the blade section and thereby restrict damping ultrasonic energy transmitted from the ultrasonic frequency generator to the cutting edge.