INTRODUCTION Diathermy is an integral part of many modern surgical procedures. While diathermy is generally accepted as 'safe', electrosurgery-induced injuries are among the more common causes for malpractice litigation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the awareness among surgeons of the principles, risks, precautions and appropriate use of diathermy. METHODS All surgeons employed f...

Ultrasonic blades have been shown to cause less acute electrophysiological damage when applied near nerves than monopolar electrosurgery (ES). This study was performed to determine whether the acute nerve damage observed for ES, as well as the relative lack of damage observed for ultrasonic dissection, extends through a subacute timeframe. Muscle incisions were made in rat with the Harmonic(®) ...

BACKGROUND The need to obtain successful surgical hemostasis had a significant impact on the development of electrosurgery. Innovative technical solutions necessitate the continuous training of surgeons in the use of more modern technologies. The diversity of solutions is also associated with the need to adapt the methods for obtaining hemostasis to the type of operation. Each time, the introdu...

BACKGROUND Electrosurgical units are the most common type of electrical equipment in the operating room. A basic understanding of electricity is needed to safely apply electrosurgical technology for patient care. METHODS We reviewed the literature concerning the essential biophysics, the incidence of electrosurgical injuries, and the possible mechanisms for injury. Various safety guidelines ...

Minimally invasive liver resection (MILR) has evolved considerably in the past decade. Safe hepatic parenchymal transection, has been one of the technical hurdles that has become evident during the growth of MILR. Advances in technology have now made safe liver transection a reality allowing resections of greater magnitude. In this review, the precoagulation approach is described in both method...

PURPOSE Trichiasis is an acquired condition in which the eyelashes are directed posteriorly, touching the surface of the cornea. It poses a complex therapeutic problem. Despite several therapeutic options (epilation, electroepilation, cryotherapy, laser ablation and standard surgical techniques), relapse is frequent. METHODS A prospective, nonmasked study was conducted to determine the effica...