Healthcare Professionals
Clinical
The effects of thermal injury have been researched extensively. Some of these clinical outcomes are outlined below.
Thermal Injury Matters
Thermal Injury Matters
PEAK PlasmaBlade device cut vs. traditional electrosurgery cut
Less Damage Improves Healing and Clinical Outcomes
Since Bovie and Cushing used the first electrosurgical instruments in 1928, little had been done to reduce the collateral thermal damage inherent to this technology. The PEAK PlasmaBlade is a unique soft tissue dissection instrument. Energy output from an electrosurgical generator, utilizing varying pulsed waveforms and duty cycles for both the cut and coagulation modes, induces electrical plasma along the cutting edges of a thin (nominally 12.5μm), 99.5% insulated electrode.
The postoperative benefits of low thermal technology are well known. Multiple human and animal clinical studies have demonstrated that a reduced thermal injury profile results in improved healing characteristics. Specific to the PEAK PlasmaBlade device, clinical research has demonstrated significant reduction in thermal injury depth, inflammatory response and healed scar width compared to traditional electrosurgery; and equivalence in healed incision strength, inflammatory cell counts and healed scar width compared to scalpel.1-3,*
Wound strength comparison: PEAK PlasmaBlade device, scalpel, and traditional electrosurgery
When this reduction in thermal injury compared to traditional electrosurgery is applied over a large area – as with surgeries requiring extensive electrosurgical tissue dissection – use of the PEAK PlasmaBlade device has resulted in postoperative benefits, such as patients reached 50% of normal diet by day 2 (median) vs. day 6.5 (median) for SOC (p = 0.0047).4,*
The PEAK PlasmaBlade uses less total energy and operates at significantly lower temperatures than traditional electrosurgical technology (40°C – 170°C vs. 200°C – 350°C).5,** The PEAK PlasmaBlade device provides surgeons with a novel alternative to traditional technology that eliminates the risk of scalpel injuries6 and has been shown to dissect 24% (p = 0.0002) more grams of tissue per minute than traditional electrosurgery, increasing operative efficiency.7,*
Infrared temperatures: PEAK PlasmaBlade device vs. traditional electrosurgery
The PEAK PlasmaBlade uses less total energy and operates at significantly lower temperatures than traditional electrosurgical technology (40 – 170°C vs. 200 – 350°C).5,**
References
1
Loh SA, Carlson GA, Chang EI, Huang E, Palanker D, Gurtner GC. Comparative healing of surgical incisions created by the PEAK PlasmaBlade, conventional electrosurgery, and a scalpel. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2009;124(6):1849-1859.
2
Ruidiaz ME, Messmer D, Atmodjo DY, et al. Comparative healing of human cutaneous surgical incisions created by the PEAK PlasmaBlade, conventional electrosurgery, and a standard scalpel. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2011;128(1):104-111.
3
Chang EI, Carlson GA, Vose JG, Huang EJ, Yang GP. Comparative healing of rat fascia following incision with three surgical instruments. J Surg Res.2011;167(1):47-54.
4
Data on file. VR-00055 study summary. 71-10-2456.
5
Data on file. PEAK PlasmaBlade operating temperature study summary. 71-10-2475.
6
Vose JG, McAdara-Berkowitz J. Reducing scalpel injuries in the operating room. AORN J. 2009;90(6):867-872.
7
Data on file. VR-00065 study summary. 71-10-2453.
* Performance has not been specifically established in all procedures.
** Operating temperature is a function of device settings, electrode configuration and treatment time. Operating temperatures outside this range may be observed.
