Ultrasonic dissection in combination with high-frequency surgery.

Abstract

Ultrasonic surgery is a technique used for tissue-selective dissection. High-frequency surgery, on the other hand, is a technique which permits largely non-selective cutting of all tissue except bone. Whereas ultrasonic surgery has no haemostatic effect, high-frequency surgery is highly effective for haemostasis. The combined use of ultrasonic surgery and high-frequency surgery, particularly in endoscopic operations, can unite the advantages of both methods and thus improve surgical techniques or even permit applications which are difficult or impracticable with ultrasonic surgery or high-frequency surgery alone. Various possibilities for combining ultrasonic surgery and high-frequency surgery have not been exploited to date and therefore remain open for future development.