title: Determination of the acoustic output of a harmonic scalpel.
abstract: The acoustic output of a harmonic scalpel was experimentally determined, and both the airborne ultrasound and the ultrasound transmitted in water were taken into account. The sound pressure level of airborne ultrasound was measured with a microphone and an artificial head, so that the free-field value and the sound level at the entrance at the bottom of the cavum conchae of the ear could be determined. The derived output power in water was obtained from a hydrophone measurement. The results were strongly influenced by cavitation effects, and it is shown that the power values with and without cavitation differ by more than a factor of 5. The measurement of acoustic output parameters forms the basis for describing the performance of the devices and for an assessment of the risk of harmful bioeffects on both the operator and the patient.
authors.affiliation: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Bundesallee 100, 38116 Braunschweig, Germany. christian.koch@ptb.de
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Borys
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fedtke
authors.forename: Utz
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pöhl
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D004423:Ear / Q000502:physiology; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D004869:Equipment Safety / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008452:Maximum Allowable Concentration; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009622:Noise; D011312:Pressure; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000145:classification*; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D014867:Water