Electrosurgery is a general term to describe all the different procedures employing electrically generated heat, by using galvanic or alternating current. These may be classified as follows:
Galvanic / Direct Current
Electrosurgery
Electrocoagulation
Electroepilation also called Thermolysis
Electrosurgery is used for removal of following skin conditions:
Electro-surgery has proved to be a very simple and cost effective treatment. The terms electrosurgery and electrocautery are frequently confused, even amongst many professionals in the healthcare are not aware. The main differences between the two in terms of therapeutic application and the tools used.
Electrosurgery passes electrical current through tissue for a desired result. The electricity used is a form of alternating current similar to that used to generate radio waves. The typical frequency is quite high,around 500,000 cycles per second. This ensures that the current passes through the patient tissue as opposed to producing an electric shock effect. The heat is created by the resistance of the tissue to the electrical current and the tools used to apply the current are electrodes and includes blades, round ball, needle and loop configurations. The electrode selection depends upon and intended outcome. These instruments can be used to cut, coagulate, or even to fuse tissue.
Electrocautery called as thermal cautery, uses electrical current to heat a metal loop, which is then applied to the target tissue in order to burn or coagulate the specific area of tissue. It is not used to pass the current through tissue, but rather is applied directly onto the targeted area of treatment. Using this technique, heat is passed through a resistant metal wire which is used as an electrode. This hot electrode is then placed directly onto the treatment area destroying that specific tissue.
Thereby, the procedure can be safely used in patients with implanted electrical devices such as cardiac pacemakers,implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, and deep-brain stimulators.
