Diathermy

Diathermy is a surgical technique where the heat of electricity is used to cut tissue or seal bleeding vessels. Diathermy is achieved by passing normal electrical current through the diathermy machine and converting it into a high frequency alternating current (HFAC), which produces the heat.

There are two different types of diathermy:

  1. Monopolar diathermy works by producing the electric current from an active electrode into the patient's body tissues and then returned back to the diathermy machine through another electrode (patient return pad)
  2. Bipolar diathermy works by producing the electric current from the diathermy machine down one prong of a bipolar forcep through the patient's tissue that has been placed in between both diathermy forceps and is returned to the diathermy machine through the second prong. Bipolar diathermy does not require a dispersive electrode (patient return pad)

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