An electroscalpel is a medical equipment capable of transforming electrical energy into heat with the aim of cutting or coagulating tissues and cauterizing them at the same time, thus decreasing the time of the surgical intervention and avoiding unwanted and unexpected hemorrhages in the surgical act, for this uses currents that develop in frequencies above 200,000 Hz. It is also commonly referred to as an electric scalpel or surgical unit, and today it is used in many medical specialties such as plastic surgery, obstetrics, dentistry, orthopedics, dermatology and veterinary medicine.

The importance of this equipment is that it is able to cut and cauterize fabrics quickly and with very little thermal damage and providing a considerable time saving. It also provides effective asepsis, reducing the likelihood of transmission of infections from diseased tissues to healthy tissues. As well as, it also reduces bleeding from tissues.

Parts of an electroscalpel

An electroscalpel is composed of three main parts, each having a specific and key function so that the cutting or clotting effect is generated as needed. The parts that make up the electroscalpel are:

• Surgical electro generator: It is the device that produces the current, and where the frequency and power of the current that is transmitted to the tissues are configured.
• Positive or active electrode: It’s the team the surgeon runs. The current coming from the electrosurgical generator flows through the positive electrode and then comes into contact with the patient’s tissue.
• Negative or return electrode: This device has the function of dissipating currents from the patient safely. The plate, which corresponds to the negative charge generator can be metal, lead or disposable self-adhesive. It is placed near where the incision is to be made, before the patient is placed on the stretcher.

How does an electroscalpel work?

The electroscalpel uses high-frequency electrical energy to produce heat in order to coagulate or cut tissues of biological origin. To do this, it circulates currents above 200,000 Hz up to 3 GHz, using an electric generator through two electrodes applied to the body; to produce controllable heat at the applied site, with which electrosection or electrocoagulation of tissue is caused, depending on the case.

The electroscalpel generates a thermal effect produced by the high frequency alternating current used by the instrument, avoiding effects such as; the electrolyte effect or the faradic effect, which would occur if the current is used at frequencies below 200,000 Hz.

Effect of current on human tissue how electroscalpel overcomes these effects?

Electric current has three major effects on the human organism:

• Faradic effect: Tissues and cells, including nerves and muscles, are stimulated by the electric current. The stimulation of human tissue reaches the maximum with an alternating current of approximately 100 Hz, this stimulation decreases if the frequency increases and progressively loses its harmful effect on the organism. Remember that the electroscalpel uses alternating currents above 200,000 Hz.
• Electrolyte effect: Electrical current causes a stream of ions in human tissue. The direct current causes the positive ions to move to the negative pole and the negative ions to the positive pole. And at the poles the biological tissue would be damaged. To avoid this the electroscalpel employs high-frequency alternating current, which causes the ions to permanently change their direction of movement, and therefore does not damage the tissue.
• Thermal effect: the electric current causes the tissue to warm, the more intensity the current has, the higher the temperature increase.

What do we offer you in Kalstein?

At Kalstein we are MANUFACTURERS of medical equipment of the highest quality and at the best PRICE in the market, so you can make your purchase safely and comfortably, knowing that you have the endorsement of a company of trajectory specialized in the field. This time we present our electrosurgical unit YR02147, this equipment is a new electrosurgical unit for all surgical procedures through all types of tissue. The YR series of electrosurgical generators is a reliable electrosurgical unit for the procedure of electrosurgical excision with loop (LEEP) in gynecology. With a maximum isolated output of up to 150 watts, automatic current control and compensation functions, you can perform high-precision cuts and coagulations with a lower risk of thermal damage. This computer has the following features:

• The electrosurgical generator has four cutting outputs and two clotting outputs.
• Provides automatic recognition of the return electrode.
• The electrosurgical generator provides digital diagnostic error codes.
• It has an isolated exit, all floating.
• The optional surgical smoke evacuation system is available to remove smoke or unpleasant odors.
• Application YR02147 applies for gynecological cervical surgery, plastic surgery and ORL surgery.

For more information we invite you to take a look at HERE