Pseudo-bipolar electrocoagulation by interrupted forceps to reduce the leakage of current

Abstract

In surgery and particularly in neurosurgery the monopolar method of electrocoagulation is normally used.The patient is placed in direct contact with a neutral plate or ground return and the radio frequency current is applied through an electrode to the forceps.The current flows from the points of the forceps to the structure to be coagulated and tails off in a spheric shape. Any structure which is included between the forceps points is coagulated by the process of thermic induction (Fig. 1). Although this method of electrocoagulation is appropriate in most cases, it presents the following disadvantages :1. High power currents are necessary and there is severe current leakage towards the outside tissues. 3*Heruntergeladen von: University of British Columbia. Urheberrechtlich geschützt.