ELECTROCONVERGENT CAUTERY

A NEW CAUTERY system known as the electroconvergent cautery system is described. This cautery system uses a radiofrequency current of 13.56 MHz. The current is passed through an amplifier, an impedance matching system, and a loading and tuning coil into a probe. After the probe t ip is touched to the tissue, the mismatch of impedance between the pro be tip and the generator is minimized to almost zero, resulting in hig h-current density at the probe tip, which causes pinpoint heating of t he tissue at the point where it is touched by the probe without spread of heat to the surrounding tissue. This heat can cut and vaporize tis sue and coagulate vessels. The probe can also be used to coagulate ves sels with standard surgical forceps. Because convergence of energy is used for tissue heating, a grounding pad is not needed. The system can also be used under cerebrospinal fluid or saline.