Abstract: A method of manufacturing a surgical cutting blade having a heating element mounted on the sides thereof which is capable of supplying sufficient thermal energy to cauterize incised tissue and reduce hermorraging of blood vessels at the site of the incision. According to the method, a thermally conductive hardened metallic cutting blade, having a thermal conductivity coefficient of at least 0.6, preferably at least 0.8, which is sufficient to transmit a cauterizing thermal flux from the heating element to the cutting edge at a heating element temperature which does not burn tissue adjacent to the heating element during the incision, is provided with a layer of dielectric insulation adhered directly to the surface of the blade. A heating element pattern is directly adhered to the dielectric insulation layer.