Bovie Medical Insights

The potential problems caused by surgical smoke in the OR have come to light over the last few years.  Electrosurgery produces smoke which may be contaminated by bacteria, viruses or mutagens and other pollutants.  There is also the possibility that the smoke will combine with alcohol preps or other flammable gases in the room to form noxious fumes that need to be removed.  It's an issue that healthcare providers need to understand, control, and minimize in order to promote a safe, sterile operating environment. 


Electrosurgery is rapidly gaining popularity amongst physicians – and surgeons who recognize it as a surgical approach that results in reduced surgical complications and more comfortable healing.  And these benefits don't just apply to humans; veterinarians are also recognizing that Electrosurgery can provide animals with a much improved surgical experience over those accomplished with a scalpel alone.

Electrosurgery is not a new technology, but its continual advancements and increasingly recognized benefits have led to electrosurgical devices being utilized more heavily now than ever before.  Bovie, and electrosurgery, have been in practice for almost a century, and today electrosurgery is an important element of any surgeon's practice.  With the advent of the well-informed patient who has access to unprecedented amounts of medical information,  electrosurgery has grown in demand, making it an important source of revenue.  Physicians can translate this demand into a profit by utilizing Bovie's Aaron 950 High Frequency Desiccator with Cut to treat a wide array of skin conditions.

For over 85 years the medical profession has turned to electrosurgery to assist with difficult surgical procedures.  In its first successful run (Oct. 1, 1926), Dr. Bovie, PhD, and Dr. Cushing, MD, used an electrosurgical generator to assist in the removal of a tumor.  Dr. Cushing noted: "...with Dr. Bovie's help I proceeded to take off most satisfactorily the remaining portion of the tumor with practically none of the bleeding which was occasioned in the preceding operation." 

Why is the use of electrosurgery for veterinarians on the rise?

Innovative techniques for veterinarian surgery is on the rise. Electrosurgery offers an efficient, clean alternative to the traditional incision practices.  Before, steel scalpels were always used to create incisions. Now, more and more electrosurgery electrodes, and other electrosurgical devices are being used.  Benefits Include:

Heat has been used in the treatment of wounds since ancient times. Hippocrates, around 400 BC, describes the use of cautery irons to stop bleeding and remove tumors, and is well-known for his aphorism that “fire will succeed where other methods fail.” This largely remained the state of the art for almost two thousand years.

J-Plasma is a new and potentially revolutionary medical device which uses an advanced state of matter called plasma, but it is also a very special type of plasma called “cold plasma.”

Plasma, sometimes referred to as the fourth state of matter, behaves like a gas, but also conducts electricity like a wire, because it is ionized. We can think of an atom as being like a miniature solar system with the Sun (nucleus) in the center and planets (electrons) orbiting around it. The nucleus and the electrons of an atom are equally and oppositely charged, so overall, an atom is electrically neutral. However, if we remove one of the orbiting electrons, there is an imbalance and the atom is now electrically charged and called an ion.

So plasma consists of ions, which are atoms that have lost one or more electrons, and also the free electrons that came from those atoms. We can remove the electron from a neutral atom by heating the atom to many thousands of degrees, basically shaking the electron off the atom. Or, we can use an electric field to pull the electron off. This is how J-Plasma works, by flowing neutral atoms of Helium over a sharp conductive point that is held at high voltage.

Plasma can be divided into two broad categories: thermal plasma and non-thermal or cold plasma. Some examples of thermal plasma include a welding torch, a lightning bolt, and the surface of the Sun. These are very hot, potentially dangerous plasmas where many, if not most of the atoms are ionized. In contrast, non-thermal or cold plasma has only a small fraction of its atoms ionized. Examples of cold plasma include fluorescent lamps and neon signs.

If the J-Plasma beam were tuned to a very gentle mode, only about one in a million Helium atoms, or less, would be ionized. Even at this low level of ionization, the J-Plasma beam is clearly visible and rather resembles a miniature version of Luke Skywalker’s Light Saber from the Star Wars movie. If the J-Plasma beam were tuned to an aggressive mode, still only about one in a thousand Helium atoms would be ionized. So the vast majority of Helium gas atoms in the J-Plasma beam is not ionized and is at or close to room temperature, providing a highly localized effect and preventing collateral damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

Our hearts are heavy, as our dear friend Fred Baron passed away on 12/31/12.  Fred was our Engineering Manager for over 17 years.  He was a friend, husband, father, and mentor.  He will be greatly missed.

Bovie Medical Corporation is far and away the largest producer of battery operated cauteries in the world.  We have discussed, in past blogs, that a cautery is thermal, and an electrosurgical generator does not use heat to cause its effect.  Though our current cauteries incorporate many safety features, our new cautery has a patent pending on an unique safety design.

More than ever before, surgeons are looking to electrosurgery as a way to perform quicker and safer surgeries, offering more precise incisions and less chance of bleeding. Choosing the right electrosurgical generator is a key decision, and one that you need to consider carefully. Think about the features you need, and what a medical manufacturer can offer in terms of safety features and warranty. Here are five things you need to consider when evaluating medical manufacturers:

1) Blend settings: Blend settings allow you to alter the wave form, thereby changing the degree of homeostasis. Use blended cuts to seal off small amounts of bleeding when you cut through soft tissue. Or, set the generator to make a pure cut, ideal for dissection, mimicking a conventional scalpel. Either way, Bovie electrosurgical generators contain up to ten different blend settings, allowing you to precisely manage the incision.

2) Presets: Each procedure requires a different power setting. For this reason, it is important to make sure a generator has preset capabilities. Bovie electrosurgical generators come with up to ten presets, allowing you to save your most commonly used settings and return to them quickly and easily.

3) Digital power control: The major advantage of digital power control is the speed at which power can be delivered. Look for a medical manufacturer that offers generators with digital power control. Bovie electrosurgical generators contain the Fast Digital Feedback System, allowing for speeds up to twenty times that of the current industry leaders. The result is a reduced need to change the power setting, and more effecient surgery.

4) Safety guarantees: While electrosurgery is exceptionally safe, there is always a small risk of fire when electricity is involved. Careful attention to high oxygen levels and areas of oxygen concentration along with other flamable gasses and materials is a must.  Look for a medical manufacturer that offers safety features and guidelines. Bovie electrosurgical generators contain pad sensing technology with a split grounding pad, making it safer for everyone. In addition, Bovie offers a free eBook on safety guidelines for electrosurgery generators.

4) Warranty: Above all, you need a medical manufacturer who will be there if your electrosurgery generator breaks down. Bovie offers a standard two-year warranty on generators. In addition, Bovie will loan you a generator in the unlikely event of your unit needing servicing.  Bovie offers extended warranties for purchase as well as an occasional promotion with an even longer warranty provided.