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
Patient Return Electrode Monitoring Technology
Return Electrode Monitoring
REM™ contact quality monitoring was developed to protect patients from burns due to inadequate contact of the return electrode. Pad site burns are caused by decreased contact area at the return electrode site. REM™-equipped generators actively monitor the amount of impedance at the patient/pad interface because there is a direct relationship between this impedance and the contact area. The system is designed to deactivate the generator before an injury can occur, if it detects a dangerously high level of impedance at the patient/pad interface.
In order to work properly, REM™-equipped generators must use a patient return electrode that is compatible, as depicted in the photo at right. Such an electrode can be identified by its “split” appearance – that is, it has two separate areas – and a special plug with a center pin. REM™ technology has been proven safe in over 100 million procedures.