Tissue Effects Change as You Modify the Waveform
Electrosurgical Tissue Effects
Grounded Electrosurgical Systems
Isolated Electrosurgical Systems
Patient Return Electrode Monitoring Technology
Electrosurgery Safety Concerns During MIS
Capacitive Coupling During Endoscopy
Recommendations to Avoid Electrosurgical Patient Complications in MIS
Isolated Electrosurgical Systems
Deactivated Isolated System
If the circuit to the patient return electrode is broken, an isolated generator will deactivate the system because the current cannot return to its source.
Generators with isolated circuits mitigate the hazard of alternate site burns but do not protect the patient from return electrode burns, such as the one shown at right.
Historically, patient return electrode burns have accounted for 70% of the injuries reported during the use of electrosurgery. Patient return electrodes are not “inactive” or “passive”. The only difference between the “active” electrode and the patient return electrode is their size and relative conductivity. The quality of the conductivity and contact area at the pad/patient interface must be maintained to prevent a return electrode site injury.