A new device for electrocoagulation of small vessels.

The importance of sealing small vessels by electrocoagulation in microsurgery is well known. In practice, the reliability of both short and long time results obtained with common and bipolar forceps with radiofrequency application is variable, particularly when encrusted coagulations adhere to the forceps tips and there is danger of damaging the vessel when the forceps are withdrawn. The coagulation process involves a sudden change in tissue characteristics, that occurs within a narrow temperature range, closely following the pattern of the applied current and is only modified by heat dissipation to the cooler parts, such as the forceps tips. Keeping these principles in mind, we developed an improved device which provides: A well-balanced current flow between the tips, which is unaffected by wiring, distributed capacitance and current leakage of the electrocoagulator ; a time-dependent heating pattern that coagulates only the core of the clamped tissue.