title: How Frequency of Electrosurgical Current and Electrode Size Affect the Depth of Electrocoagulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many factors affect the depth of electrocoagulation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of current frequency and electrode size on the depth of electrocoagulation.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this in vitro study, 4 cylindrical electrodes (2, 2.3, 3, and 4 mm) were used to apply 3 electrosurgical currents (0.4, 1.5, and 3 MHz) to bovine liver. Each electrode was placed at different points on the surface of the liver, and energy at various levels and frequencies was delivered to the tissue. Subsequently, cross-sections of the liver were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Coagulation started at the periphery of the electrode-tissue contact area. With higher energy levels, coagulation spreads to involve the remainder of the contact area. Neither the frequency nor the electrode size had any effect on this coagulation pattern. The frequency of the current also did not show any relation with depth of coagulation; however, there was a direct correlation between the size of the electrode and the depth of coagulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Larger-tip electrodes provided deeper coagulation compared with finer-tip electrodes.
authors.affiliation: *Center for Dermatology Research, Department of Dermatology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; †Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; ‡Department of Pathology, George Washington University, Washington, District of Colombia; §Biomedical Engineering, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; ‖Department of Pathology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina; ¶Departments of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Arash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taheri
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mansoori
authors.forename: Naeim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bahrami
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alinia
authors.forename: Casey E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Watkins
authors.forename: Steven R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Feldman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008099:Liver / Q000601:surgery