Abstract: An irrigation system for cooling a surgical cutting tool, cutting site and/or flushing debris from the cutting site during surgery includes a first conduit connected to a source of sterile irrigation fluid and a second conduit adapted to be supported on the cutting tool to deliver irrigation fluid to the cutting site. The irrigation system further includes a lightweight disposable pump assembly for pumping the sterile irrigation fluid from the fluid source through the first and second conduits to the cutting site. The disposable pump assembly includes a pump chamber that communicates with the first and second conduits and a flexible pump member rotatable in the pump chamber. The pump assembly and conduits are in a presterile condition to permit immediate use by a physician and are discarded after the surgical operation is completed.