Abstract: A disposable battery powered rotary tissue cutting instrument for soft tissue removal includes a blade attached to a powered surgical handpiece. The blade comprises an elongate tubular outer member and an inner member rotatably disposed within the outer member to cut anatomical tissue. The handpiece contains a motor having a drive shaft coupled in driving engagement with the inner member and a battery unit for supplying electric current to rotate the drive shaft to effect rotation of the inner member within the outer member. The inner member is continuously rotated in one direction or is continuously oscillatorily rotated in forward and reverse directions. The instrument is disposable after single patient use and may include a use-limiting unit for automatically disabling the instrument to prevent its reuse after completion of a surgical procedure performed using the instrument on a single patient. The blade may be used for electric cautery.