First Year Fellows Endoscopy Course (July 31 - August 1)

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Dr. Joel Munzer, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, gives a talk on electrocautery. He starts by explaining that electrocautery is a misnomer and the proper term is electrosurgery. He discusses the fundamental purpose of an electrosurgical generator to produce high-frequency AC for heating tissue. He explains that the threshold at which neuromuscular stimulation no longer occurs is about 100,000 hertz, and most electrosurgical units work at three times that hertz. He discusses the two main tissue effects achieved in gastrointestinal endoscopy: cutting and coagulation. He explains that cutting is achieved at high voltage, while coagulation occurs at lower voltages. He talks about the importance of understanding different electrosurgical currents and knowing their effect on tissue. He emphasizes the importance of being able to recognize when something isn't right and addressing the problem before it worsens. He discusses various concepts related to electrosurgery, including resistance, current density, and the use of grounding pads. He also briefly discusses argon plasma coagulation (APC) as a unique form of electrosurgery. The video concludes with Dr. Munzer recommending resources to further understand electrosurgery, including a textbook he co-edited on gastrointestinal endoscopy.

Asset Subtitle

B. Joseph Elmunzer, MD

Keywords

electrosurgery

electrosurgical generator

gastrointestinal endoscopy

cutting

coagulation

electrosurgical currents