SURGICAL DIATHERMY

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 1

Diathermy
 The Term “Diathermy” means “Through Heating” or
producing deep heating directly in the tissues of the body.
Diathermy Frequency is in the RF range

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 2

Surgical Diathermy Machine/
Electrosurgery Machine/ ESU
 It is an ac source that operates at a radio frequency (300
to 3000 KHz)
 The Surgeon uses the electrosurgery machine to cut tissue
and coagulate the bleeding vessels

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 3

Surgical Diathermy Principle

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 4

 Principle
• Active Electrode – High Current Concentration
• Dispersive Electrode – Low Current and Heat dissipates
• Current concentration or density depends on
the size of the area through which the current flows.

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 5

Modes of Electro-Surgery
1. Mono-Polar Technique

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 6

Modes of Electro-Surgery
2. Bipolar Technique

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 7

Advantages of Bipolar
• It is much safer than Monopolar
• RF current flows only through well defined area, while in
Monopolar current flows back through large section of patient
body
• Risk of patient touch is low
• Less Interference for other instruments
• No ‘patient plate’ or ‘Return electrode’ is required

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 8

Various Types of Electrosurgery Techniques
commonly employed in practice

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 9

Types of Waveforms Generated by ESU

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 10

Block Diagram of an ESU

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 11

Electrodes Used with Surgical Diathermy

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 12

Electrodes Used with Surgical Diathermy

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 13

Types of Coagulation Modes

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 14

Confusion……??
• Electro Cautery Unit

• Electro Surgical Unit

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 15

Electrocautery
• A high amount of current is passed through the electrode and
burning or coagulation is achieved
• Electrode for Cautery – Scalpel, Wire
• Only particular organ or tissue is targeted
• It is a Direct Current (DC) Source

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 16

Safety Aspects in ESU
Risks Associated with Electrosurgery fall into 4 main categories:
Burns
Electrical Interference with the heart muscles
Danger of Explosions caused by Sparks
Electrical Interference with pacemakers and other medical
electronic equipment

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 17

Reference
Handbook of Biomedical Instrumentation by R S Khandpur
Medical Instrumentation- Application & Design by Webster

MS.OINAM ROBITA CHANU,ASST.PROFESSOR.DEPT.OF BME,SRMIST 18