title: Reducing bipolar sterilization failures.
abstract: Many bipolar sterilization failures have occurred because of incomplete desiccation of the endosalpinx. This study compared the effect upon human fallopian tubes of different waveforms of electrical energy at advancing power settings. When the Valleylab SSE2-L generator was attached to the Kleppinger bipolar forceps, complete desiccation was confirmed with the power set at 25 W in a cutting waveform. Other waveforms (coagulation and blend) failed to complete the task at the same power setting. An inline current meter assures the operator that all the available energy is delivered. This information should help to reduce bipolar sterilization failures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Soderstrom
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000379:methods*; D005187:Fallopian Tubes / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013246:Sterilization, Tubal / Q000379:methods*