title: The Versajet water dissector: a new tool for tangential excision.
abstract: Goulian and Watson knives work well for tangential burn excision on large flat areas. They do not work well in small areas and in areas with a three-dimensional structure. The Versajet Hydrosurgery System (Smith and Nephew, Key Largo, FL) is a new waterjet-powered surgical tool designed for wound excision. The small size of the cutting nozzle and the ability to easily maneuver the water dissector into small spaces makes it a potentially useful tool for excision of burns of the eyelids, digits and web spaces. The Versajet Hydrosurgery System contains a power console that propels saline through a handheld cutting device. This stream of pressurized saline functions as a knife. We have used the Versajet for burn excision in 44 patients. Although there is a learning curve for both surgeons using and operating room staff setting up the device, the Versajet provides a relatively facile method for excision of challenging aesthetic and functional areas.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington Burn Center and Division of Plastic Surgery, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington 98104, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Heimbach
authors.forename: Loren H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Engrav
authors.forename: Shari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Honari
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gallery
authors.forename: Diane-Marie
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Kiriluk
authors.forename: Nicole S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Gibran
mesh_terms: D002056:Burns / Q000601:surgery*; D005143:Eyelids / Q000601:surgery; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D013523:Surgical Equipment; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014867:Water; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D014867:Water