National Without A Scalpel Day

National Without A Scalpel Day

Today is National Without A Scalpel Day, commemorating the first time an angioplasty was performed. On this day in 1964, Dr. Dotter used X-Ray technology and a small pin hole to remove a blocked blood vessel. This has become known as Interventional Radiology.

Commonly, surgery was done with a scalpel; which would make a rather large incision. There is a chance of infection anytime the body is opened. Infection can happen in the form of unsterilized tools, a ruptured organ, or infection after surgery. A Superficial incisional SSI is an infection at the site of entry into the body. A Deep incisional SSI is an infection in the surrounding tissue. Organ SSI is when an organ involved in the surgery has spilled tissue into the surrounding area. Johns Hopkins Medicine has described these scenarios and risk factors for infection as:

• Surgery lasting more than 2 hours
• Contaminated wounds where an organ spills contents into the wound
• Other medical problems
• Abdominal Surgery
• Elderly
• Overweight
• Weakened immune system
• Diabetes
• Emergency Surgery

Interventional Radiology

Interventional Radiology has eliminated some risk of developing infections from wounds. X-Ray imaging pinpoints exactly where the surgery needs to take place, eliminating guesswork. This eliminates some chance of infection, by minimizing the wound and surgical site. Soma Technology sells many products that cut through tissue without the use of a scalpel.

Ethicon 300 Harmonic Scalpel

The Ethicon 300 harmonic scalpel uses sound waves to cut through soft tissue. This scalpel uses hemostatic cutting and coagulation when bleeding control and minimal thermal injury are required. All instruments, except the ball coagulator, use a high generator power level for greater tissue cutting speed or a lower generator power level for greater coagulation. This system has multiple sounds to indicate signal, activation, and alarms.

Medtronic Covidien Valleylab Force TRIAD

This electro-surgical unit uses electricity to cut through tissue. The Medtronic Covidien Valleylab Force TRIAD is one of the most used ESU’s. TissueFect manages the cutting and control of tissue. The LigaSure part of the machine allows for the sealing of lymphatics, tissue bundles, and pulmonary vasculature at up to 7mm. This features automatic bipolar activation. Three LCD touch screens are built in. Alarm tones let the user know the differences between cut, coag, bipolar, and LigaSure modes.

Valleylab Ligasure Vessel Sealing System

This ESU is the standard for cutting tissue. The Valleylab Ligasure Vessel Sealing System not only cuts through blood vessels, it can fuse walls to create a permanent seal. A combination of pressure and energy creates vessel fusion. The average cycle for a seal is two to four seconds. After a vessel is sealed, the feedback controlled response system stops. The generator will need one hour to warm up.

Final Thoughts

Have you used either a harmonic scalpel or a vessel sealing system? What features do you like about these machines, or what would you change?

If you would like one of these machines quoted, please contact a soma sales representative. You can also email [email protected], or call us at 1-800-GET-SOMA.