Fundamentals of Energy Utilization in the Operating Room

Energy devices are used throughout surgery and for nearly every operation. Major benefits of using energy devices include aid in dissection, achievement of hemostasis, and ablation of unwanted tissue. Numerous types of energy devices are available, including monopolar and bipolar electrosurgical devices, ultrasonic energy, and argon beam plasma coagulators. While energy devices are enormously useful for the safe completion of modern surgical procedures, risks of the use of energy devices are significant and include inadvertent tissue injury, interference with implanted devices, and operating room fires, among others. Surgeons must be familiar with the types of devices available, their appropriate setup and use, limitations of each device and type of energy used, and potential sources of patient or personal injury. This chapter summarizes these concepts.