Coblation Assisted Tonsilectomy

Standard electro-surgical instruments and lasers use thermal energy. Other methods to break down tissues have been developed to address the problem of high temperature and damage to surrounding tissues. Coblation is a non-thermal method where the tissue volume is removed through a molecular dissociation similar to the laser exempt. Coblation uses the fluid between the instrument (electrode) and the tissue as a conductor. When electric current is applied to this fluid it becomes charged particles and is called the plasma layer. These charged particles are accelerated by the plasma creating enough energy to break the molecular bonds within the cell. This produces the disintegration of the cells molecule by molecule. In this way, the volume of tissue is reduced. Assisted surgery by coblation uses a continuous mode of operation rather than the pulse mode used by lasers. The purpose of using a continuous mode is to allow coagulation in small vessels, hemostasis in larger vessels and decrease in collagen. Coaling uses relatively low temperatures compared to laser, thus reducing damage to adjacent tissues. <a id="