Electrocoagulation is a type of high-frequency surgery. Here, alternating current is passed through the body at a high frequency in order to damage, cut or destroy useless or diseased tissue. In addition to small tumors and other skin growths, the procedure can also be used to treat warts.
Here you will find further information and selected specialists for electrocoagulation in the removal of warts.
An electric current is used to generate a spark that causes high temperatures at the site of application. This can cause an extremely precise punctiform burn on a wart or other diseased tissue. This process is medically known as electrocoagulation.
Depending on the current strength and frequency, this leads to irreparable damage to the affected cells. The treated tissue dies.
The aim of electrocoagulation is to eliminate and thus kill all infected and pathologically altered cells. This means that the risk of the wart growing back after the procedure is very low.
Treatment using electrocoagulation is carried out either by a dermatologist or a specialist surgeon.
Electricity always flows via the path of least resistancefrom an active electrode to a neutral electrode. Electrocoagulation makes use of this effect. The current density is highest at the point where the current enters the body, the active electrode. This is also where the highest temperatures occur.
The surgeon attaches these two electrodes to the patient's body. The active electrode is the actual surgical instrument used in electrocoagulation. The burns can be limited quite precisely to a specific area of skin using the instrument.
The current density decreases with the distance between the electrodes. This is why there is no extensive damage to the tissue when a wart is removed using electrocoagulation.
The usual frequency range for electrocoagulation to remove warts is on average between 300 kHz and 4000 kHz. Higher frequencies tend to be used for larger surgical procedures.
The exact procedure for electrocoagulation depends on the diagnosis and the procedure used. In principle, it is possible to only damage the wart or to remove it completely.
Electrocoagulation is a purely thermal treatment. The surgeon burns the wart down to the epidermis. Depending on the individual case
Electrocoagulation is sometimes performed following a previous excision of the wart. This provides additional protection against the wart developing again.
Warts are caused by viruses. If they are related to an illness or an internal infection, additional medical treatment may be necessary.
Some types of warts tend to spread widely. This means that they form secondary warts. Additional measures may also be necessary here. Electrocoagulation only ever treats specific points.
High-frequency current can specifically destroy tissue. Here, electrocoagulation as part of a surgical procedure © Nekrasov | AdobeStock
The biggest advantage of electrocoagulation is the complete removal of the wart, often in a single session.
Unlike surgical removal methods, the affected blood vessels are also directly sealed. As a result, healing after wart removal using electrocoagulation is usually faster and less painful.
Electrocoagulation is also known as electro-scalpel.
Not every wart can be removed by electrocoagulation. Plantar warts, for example, tend to grow inwards rather than outwards. In this case, electrocoagulation is difficult or even impossible. Whether wart removal using electrocoagulation is possible depends on
treating physician.
Warts on very sensitive areas of the body also speak against electrocoagulation. Under certain circumstances, surrounding areas of the skin can also be damaged during electrocoagulation. This could be too dangerous in the genital area or near the eyes. The surgeon's experience plays a major role here.
The patient must inform the doctor before the treatment if, for example
in the body. This is the only way the surgeon can plan the treatment and rule out any risks.
Furthermore, during electrocoagulation, the patient must not wear any
on the body.
Electrocoagulation is always performed under local anesthesia.
A basic distinction is made between monopolar and bipolar electrocoagulation.
The monopolar technique of electrocoagulation is used more frequently than the bipolar method. It is therefore also more common when treating a wart.
Here, the doctor applies the neutral electrode as far away as possible from the treatment area. The current therefore travels a long distance in the body until it emerges at the neutral electrode.
This ensures that the current density on its way through the body is as low as possible. Damage to the body other than at the desired location is therefore ruled out. Strict safety measures ensure that no undesirable burns occur when attaching the neutral electrode.
The skin on the neutral electrode does not heat up noticeably during monopolar electrocoagulation.
A modified version of the monopolar technique is the monoterminal method. This does not require a neutral electrode. Instead, the generator is earthed on one side and a capacitive resistor closes the circuit.
Thedisadvantage of this method is that this resistance and thus the effective current change when the patient is touched. For this reason, the monoterminal method is only used for minimal interventions with small currents. This means that only small warts can be treated with it.
In bipolar electrocoagulation, the active and neutral electrodes are applied very close to each other. The two electrodes are applied directly to the wart. The circuit is closed directly via the tissue that lies between the insulated electrodes.
The current only flows through this tissue, which is destroyed by the high heat. Surrounding tissue therefore remains unaffected by the current and cannot be damaged.
This is why this method of electrocoagulation is preferred for precise applications , such as
In dermatology, bipolar electrocoagulation is used when the patient's physical condition does not allow it.
Another advantage is that the bipolar electrocoagulation procedure requires up to 30 percent less energy.
With electrocoagulation, the wart is usually removed or eliminated in just a few minutes. The procedure itself is therefore relatively short - and usually completely painless thanks to local anesthesia.
Possible wounds are cauterized by the current flow and thus closed. This is why there is usually only minor pain after electrocoagulation.
Minimal soreness may or may not occur. The pain caused by electrocoagulation usually feels like a sore.
The treated area of skin may be sensitive to touch, cold or heat in the hours or days following electrocoagulation. However, this can usually be treated very well and specifically with
ointments. However, these should always be prescribed by the treating doctor. Not every healing and wound ointment is suitable for treating the skin after electrocoagulation.
In most cases, electrocoagulation is only one part of a larger treatment plan. Depending on the infestation and type of wart, the entire treatment can take up to several weeks.
Electrocoagulation usually removes the infected tissue completely. This reduces the risk of warts forming again. If a new wart nevertheless forms, a follow-up treatment is possible. This also usually only takes a few minutes.
Even though electrocoagulation is a very safe and established procedure, it does involve risks. These can be kept within limits by an experienced doctor.
The greatest risk with electrocoagulation is damage to healthy tissue
The latter mainly affects people with
are affected. However, any experienced doctor will be able to correctly assess these risks and thus largely rule them out. For example, they can use a different method or lower frequencies. The frequency range used in dermatology is comparatively low anyway.
During treatment, the muscles may twitch (medically known as faradization). This is unpleasant, but not harmful.
