Tissue damage from electrosurgical power output variations in hamster tongues.

An investigation was designed to determine the differences in the amount of tissue damage produced by variations in the amount of cutting power delivered to the hamster tongue with electrosurgery. By dividing the power of an electrosurgical instrument into 5 W intervals, from the lowest setting which would produce a cut up to the 50 W setting, histometric comparisons were made in the hamster tongue. Histologic analysis showed the following: 1. The 30 W power interval produced less tissue damage than any other power interval. 2. The 25 and 35 W intervals produced significantly greater damage than the intervals from 40 thorugh 50 W. 3. Histologically the experimental defect showed an area of coagulation necrosis approximately 50 mu wide along the margin of the incision. Tissue damage decreased laterally and inferiorly from the surface of the defect except at the 30 W setting, where the damage in the epithelium and the damage in the connective tissue were essentially equal. 4. There is some validity to the sparking-dragging test for setting the power interval of an electrosurgical instrument. 5. Higher power values which produce excessive sparking should be avoided by the clinician during electrosurgery due to the imprecise nature of the clinical incision.