Anaesthesia & intensive care medicine
Volume 8, Issue 11 , Pages 464-467, November 2007

Surgical diathermy

Mark Tooley, PhD, is Consultant Clinical Scientist at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, UK, and head of the department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering. He is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the universities of Bath and Bristol. He is a Chartered Engineer and Scientist, and is a fellow of the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM), the Institute of Physics (IOP) and the Institution of Engineering and Technology (formerly IEE). He is an affiliate of both the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Anaesthetists

Ian Thomas, MB ChB, is Specialist Registrar in Anaesthesia and Advanced Trainee in Intensive Care Medicine, having previously trained as a general physician. He practices in Bristol, UK, and his current areas of interest include ethical issues surrounding organ donation and end-of-life care in an intensive care setting

Abstract 

Surgical diathermy is a heating effect produced in the body by high-frequency electric current. It can be used to cut or coagulate tissue. The electrode systems used in surgical diathermy can be monopolar or bipolar; each has different characteristics and uses. The safety of surgical diathermy equipment is discussed in this article, as is its interference with other equipment. Finally, the hazards of diathermy smoke are also included.

Keywords: diathermy interference, diathermy smoke, monopolar and bipolar systems, safety of diathermy equipment

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PII: S1472-0299(07)00208-1

doi:10.1016/j.mpaic.2007.08.018

Anaesthesia & intensive care medicine
Volume 8, Issue 11 , Pages 464-467, November 2007

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