Radiofrequency Surgery Becoming a Hot Technology in Veterinary Medicine as a Low-Cost, Low-Temp Alternative to Laser Surgery SCHAUMBURG, Ill. — Radiofrequency surgery has been around for decades, but recently it's getting new respect from veterinarians—and in human medicine—as a quality alternative to the scalpel. But as the technology is refined and better applied in veterinary medicine, there are still many questions among veterinarians about the differences between radiofrequency surgery and electrosurgery, and even the difference between radiofrequency and laser surgery.
Radiofrequency surgery cuts by passing radiofrequency electricity that is within the AM radio frequency range through tissue. Units can be found that range from .5 megahertz, which is a low-frequency, high-heat level, to the high-frequency, low-heat 3.8 to 4 megahertz, and the energy is directed from the tip of a handheld instrument. Electrosurgery cuts with electricity from a handheld instrument, similar to radiofrequency units, but the electrode is also heated, and laser surgery cuts by vaporizing tissue with focused light. While the results of these three newer surgical technologies is very similar, there are important differences, said Dr. A. D. Elkins, DVM, ACVS, a surgeon at the Veterinary Specialist Center in Indianapolis, Ind. He said the affect of radiofrequency surgery are similar to laser (he uses both) but radiofrequency has a number of aspects that compare well with laser.
"In human medicine, radiofrequency surgery has become more common than lasers, because it has lower cost, and it's easier to learn and use. The reason the technology has caught on is because lasers have caught on," he said. "They're work horses. We use radiofrequency units in every single surgery we do. There are surgeries where I never pick up a scalpel. Other times it's a mix of scalpel and radiofrequency."
Dr. Elkins will be running a radiofrequency surgery lab that the American Veterinary Medical Association convention in Washington DC, July 14-18, which will include about two hours of lecture and then about two hours of hands-on work with a radiofrequency unit on a piece of beefsteak. He said that after about three or four hours, the veterinarians in attendance will be able to integrate what they have learned into surgeries at their own clinics, because the units are easy to learn ... easier than laser surgery.
Like the scalpel, radiofrequency units give surgeons a tactile feel while making an incision, while laser surgery requires a completely different approach to surgery, which involves aiming a point of light. "It's easier to learn," he said.
"Radiofrequency surgery is probably a little better than laser surgery," Dr. Elkins explained. "One of the primary reasons it's better is that it cuts at lower heat, which aids in healing. Lasers are very slow. Radiofrequency is quick as a scalpel. If you're cutting out a thick piece of tissue, such as a tumor, a laser unit will take some time because you're vaporizing tissue."
One of the advantages of radiofrequency units in the electro coagulation created at the incision. This creates a precise incision with very little blood.
"Plastic surgeons use it because you have pinpoint control, and you tend to get better healing," he said.
In his lab, Dr. Elkins will also train veterinarians about how to use the wave form settings that are common on today's high-frequency units. For example, a highly filtered wave form is good for clean, more precise incisions on the skin. Other wave form settings offer more electro coagulation in places where blood vessels are more present, such as the mouth.
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