Title: Describe ultrasonic surgical techniques and related safety issues.
Course: Surgical Technologist II (14056--II) > Section: Understanding Surgical Techniques

Description should include

- ultrasonic techniques, such as the use of vibrating high-frequency waves, to facilitate cutting, coagulating, and aspirating during surgery (e.g., lithotripsy)
- ultrasonic surgical tools (e.g., harmonic scalpel and ultrasonic surgical aspirator/emulsifier)
- safety issues, such as burns, perforations, hemorrhaging, and infection, that can result from ultrasonic surgical techniques.

Process/Skill Questions:

- In what types of surgical situations might ultrasonic techniques be used? Why?
- What is a harmonic scalpel? An ultrasonic surgical aspirator/emulsifier? What is the role of each in applying ultrasonic surgical techniques?
- When applying ultrasonic techniques, how can the surgical team prevent harm to the patient in the form of burns? Perforations? Hemorrhaging? Infection?