Demodulated low frequency currents from electrosurgical procedures.

Low frequency currents produced incidental to electrosurgical procedures are usually only a minor threat unless they are coupled directly into the heart through a catheter or a thoracic surgical procedure. However, should the low frequency blocking capacitors in the electrosurgical generator fail in the conducting state, extremely dangerous low frequency currents of many milliamperes may flow into the patient. Even with properly functioning capacitors, low frequencies up to several milliamperes may be produced by some generators. The results of this study show that the coagulation mode of operation produces greater amounts of low frequency currents than the "pure cutting" mode at the same power setting. These results also demonstrate that the higher the generator power output, the higher the magnitude of the low frequency currents.