Patent ID: 8177787

Claim:
A surgical method comprising: selecting a handpiece adapted for removable attachment of a battery pack thereto; selecting a packaged and pre-sterilized battery pack containing primary batteries whose chemistry is based upon lithium/manganese dioxide; attaching the battery pack to the handpiece to provide electrical energy for its operation by rotatingly locking the battery to the handpiece to conductively interengage the sets of contact elements, while concurrently creating a positive indication by at least one of sight, sound, and touch that a predetermined locked position has been achieved, the step of attaching the battery pack to the handpiece comprising aligning the battery pack to receive an alignment post extending from the handpiece; and inserting the alignment post through a projecting portion on a surface of the battery pack and into a hole in the battery pack in a manner that aligns the battery pack; conducting a surgical procedure utilizing the handpiece; and then disposing of the battery pack in non-hazardous waste.