Liquid jet surgical cutting apparatus (10) and a method of use thereof are described, the apparatus including a fluid reservoir (12) containing a supply of cutting fluid (14), a pump (16) to supply the cutting fluid to a liquid jet surgical cutting instrument, a liquid jet surgical cutting instrument (20), and a drain conduit (22) to receive and drain waste cutting fluid (14) and entrained debris wherein the drain conduit is operably connected to a waste canister (24), the waste canister having a vacuum generator (26) operably connected thereto to apply a vacuum to an interior of the waste canister and to the drain conduit.
