Electrosurgery has been used for decades to improve surgical procedures by reducing bleeding in the operating field, resulting in fewer complications, shorter surgical times, reduced risk of infections, and better overall outcomes for the patient. There are some exciting trends in the industry that are being developed to further improve surgical outcomes. With healthcare costs rising annually, emerging trends show awareness aimed at cost efficiency through improved technology with an end goal of better surgical outcomes.
Emerging industry trends in Electrosurgery:
Laproscopic Electrosurgical Electric Leakage Detection Device: Conceived by Bovie and awarded a US patent in October 2011. This device, when developed and implemented, will continuously monitor electrical current from the ESU generator during monopolar surgery and detect leaks of current in the surgical handpiece, instantly shutting down power to the system when leakage occurs, thus improving safety of electrosurgery by reducing patient burn risk. The device may be integrated into generators manufactured by Bovie and other companies upon clearance to market by the FDA.
Generating a Plasma Stream to perform Electrosurgical procedures: We announced on November 21, 2011 that we were awarded a patent on our J-Plasma technology, a method of performing endoscopic electrosurgery using an electrosurgical device that generates a plasma stream. The method covered by the patent uses electronegative gas, "which confines the plasma stream to an elongated narrow beam to achieve precision point accuracy and stability of the plasma stream during an electrosurgical procedure" (Boviemed.com, 2011).
These developments follow the general industry trend of minimizing surgical invasiveness whenever possible by providing surgeons with increased capability to control bleeding and improve patient safety. Trends in electrosurgical procedures have enabled doctors to perform many surgeries that would have previously required the use of a traditional operating room to be performed in an Ambulatory Surgery Center or in a doctor's office.
To gain a better understanding of electrosurgery, the equipment used and the varying techniques and approaches, download our free e-book, Understanding Electrosurgery.
Photo courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti
