A hemostatic scalpel for burn debridement
S. M. Levenson, D. K. Gruber, C. Gruber, E. Seifter, J. Molnar and J. Petro
We studied excision of burns with a new heated scalpel. The disposable
blade resemble conventional scalpel blades, except that their edges can be
heated and the temperature controlled within narrow limits. The control
mechanism compensates "instantaneously" for varying losses of heat
depending on the vascularity of the tissues and rate of cutting. Cutting is
done by the blade's sharp edge and hemostasis results from direct transfer
of heat; no electric currents are generated in the tissues. The blades can
be fashioned in variety of shapes and sizes, including those suitable for
tangential excisions. The heated scalpel allows excision of third-degree
burns in pigs and humans with much smaller loss of blood than when the
usual cold surgical scalpel is used. Skin grafts applied immediately after
excisions with the heated scalpel had excellent rates of success, similar
to those of grafts applied immediately after excisions with the cold
scalpel.
