Electricity and Electrosurgery Fundamentals

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on the STT11 lecture on electricity and electrosurgical principles in the operating room environment.

Electricity

A form of energy produced by stationary or moving electrons and protons, specifically the flow of one electron to another.

Matter

Anything that has mass and occupies space, existing in states such as solid or liquid.

Atom

The basic component of all matter, comprised of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Nucleus

The center of an atom.

Protons

Subatomic particles with a positive charge.

Neutrons

Subatomic particles with a neutral charge.

Electrons

Subatomic particles with a negative charge.

Electron flow

The movement of electrons transferring from one atom to another.

Electron Theory

The principles governing the behavior of electrons, named after the Greek word for amber.

Shells or orbit

The paths in which electrons revolve around the nucleus.

Free electrons

Outer electrons not attached to an atom that create an electric current.

Conductor

A material through which electrons flow easily, such as silver, zinc, saltwater, or copper.

Copper

The most commonly used conductor for electricity.

Insulator

A material that inhibits the flow of electrons and is a poor conductor, such as rubber, plastic, or wood.

Magnetic field

The region around a magnet where poles draw magnets together or repel one another.

Electromagnetism

The phenomenon that occurs when an electric current flowing through a wire generates a magnetic field in metal.

Electrical Circuit

The path electricity travels from its energy source to a device and back to the source.

Simple Electrical Circuit Components

The four elements comprising a basic circuit: power, load, conductor, and switch.

Load

A device that transforms electrical energy into a useful function and provides a limit for the circuit to prevent overheating.

Switch

A device used to open or close a circuit to control the flow of electricity.

Ampere (Amps)

The unit used to measure electrical current.

Voltage (Volt)

The measurement of electrical pressure applied to force electrons through a circuit; OR circuits are supplied with $220\,V$.

Wattage (Watts)

The measurement of electrical power, calculated by combining volts and amps.

Power

The rate at which work is done, measured in watts.

OR Wall Outlets

Outlets usually rated at $110\,V$, though X-ray and laser units may require $220\,V$.

Ground prong

The third prong on an electrical plug that captures excess or leakage current to reduce the risk of shocks.

Direct Current (DC)

Electrical current that flows in only one direction from the negative pole to the positive pole, such as in a battery.

Alternating Current (AC)

Electrical current that flows in two directions and reverses its course periodically.

Frequency

The number of AC cycles per second.

$60$ cycle AC

The most commonly used electrical power frequency in the United States.

Isolated Power Systems

Wall panels in the OR that monitor power overloads and prevent potential fires using red and green status lights.

Electrosurgery

The use of high-frequency electrical current for surgical procedures.

William Bovie and Harvey Cushing

The individuals credited with the development and use of the Electrosurgical Unit (ESU).

ESU Generator

The component that provides the source of electrical current to the active electrode.

Patient Return Electrode

Also known as a grounding pad or dispersive electrode, it must be properly placed to avoid electrical burns.

Active Electrode

Also known as an electrosurgical pencil or Bovie pencil, it delivers the current to the surgical site.

Bovie Tip

Available in shapes like blade, ball, loop, and needle, these must be kept clean and are considered sharps in the surgical count.

Monopolar

The electrosurgical mode used for coagulation and cutting in large surgical areas; requires the use of a grounding pad.

Bipolar

The electrosurgical mode used only for coagulation in delicate procedures to prevent nerve damage, activated by a foot pedal.

Surgical Plume

The vaporized tissue plume created during the use of electrosurgery.