Electrosurgical Units (ESU) are low-power, high-frequency, high-voltage medical devices that are used for various skin surgical procedures. Electrosurgical units are a versatile tool used in dermatology, pulmonary medicine, gastroenterology, plastic surgery, ENT, OB-GYN, and other medical specialties where precise tissue manipulation and control are needed. It allows healthcare professionals to perform procedures with minimal bleeding and scarring (compared to other methods like scalpel excision). Dermatologists commonly use ESUs for the removal of skin cancers, skin tags, red skin, sun spots, skin lesions, warts, moles, and other unwanted tissue.
The two main uses of an electrosurgical unit are to cut and cauterize. They work with a steady current to heat up and destroy targeted tissue, which can have different outcomes depending on the technique and power settings used. Electrosurgery is the technique to dissect soft tissue quickly and cleanly during surgery. Electrocauterization uses high-frequency current to heat and burn the tissue, effectively cauterizing blood vessels to minimize bleeding during surgical procedures. Electrosurgery devices are far more sophisticated than units that just do electrocauterization. Another feature of a quality ESU is desiccation which dehydrates the tissue causing skin to die off without looking burned.
For some small surgery types, local anesthesia is not required but for larger surgical areas local anesthesia is needed. The pain is from the burning of tissue, not from the electric current. Heat is created at a cellular level and will not damage or affect muscles or nerves.
A quality electrosurgical unit will allow for a wide range of waveforms, automatic safety cut-offs, LED displays, and an assortment of accessories, like foot pedal control.
When choosing an ESU that is right for your facility, clinic or practice consider all the surgery types you will be using it for, available accessories, manufacturer support, value for money, and warranty length.
The Hyfrecator 2000
The term hyfrecator is derived from a combination of "high-frequency" and "eradicator," which was a brand name created by the Birtcher Corporation in 1939. ConMed Corporation acquired Birtcher in 1995 and today all machines that are labelled as hyfrecators are made by ConMed.
The ConMed Hyfrecator 2000 features a speed dial for precise power control and features a low mode for 0-20 Watts with 0.1 Watt increments when under 10 Watts and a high mode for 0-35 Watts with 1 Watt increments. The unit also comes with an autoclavable pencil, an LED screen, and various mounting options.
Bovie Desiccators
As the hyfrecator is proprietary to ConMed there are similar products called desiccators from Bovie, which are similar in price, wavelength settings, power outputs, and accessories. Some of the more budget models are used primarily in dermatology.
The latest model, the Bovie DERM 942, can achieve up to 40 Watts output and has fewer parts resulting in lower internal heat being generated. The Bovie 942 also comes with six different dermal tips and a massive four-year warranty.
There are other high-quality electrosurgical units in the market from companies like Surton, Erbe and Valleylab. Remember to always check warranty details, surgery requirements, manufacturer support info, value for money, and user reviews before purchasing.