Electrosurgery generators are today’s standard of care for providing the energy needed to cut and coagulate tissue. Generators convert electricity into energy, which travels through a pencil/handpiece to the electrode at the surgical site. Surgical smoke, also known as a plume, occurs when electricity and tissue meet. A smoke evacuation system pulls smoke plumes from the surgical site, via tubing, into a filter, thus capturing particles that otherwise would be dispersed into the air and inhaled by the OR staff and patient.
When choosing a smoke evacuation system, be sure your due diligence includes these four items to get the most benefit and longevity from your system:
- Filter Life – This could be a costly mistake if the wrong system is purchased. Bovie® filters have a 35-hour filter life on Low setting, among the longest in the industry.
- Customizable Settings – Customized settings allow users to engage the smoke evacuation system to operate based on intended procedures, using the right degree of power and potentially extending filter life.
- Accessories that Enhance Filter Life – The Bovie® Remote Switch Activator accessory provides clinicians with the ability to activate the evacuation system only when cutting or coagulating – preventing the filter from running during the entire procedure and enhancing filter life.
- Noise Reduction – It’s important to ask to listen to every unit prior to purchase. Preventing distraction during delicate procedures is imperative.
