Epitome® Scalpel Electrodes

The Epitome® scalpel electrode incorporates Peripheral Plasma Blade (P2B) technology. P2B is a fine wire element at the edge of a non-conductive ceramic core. This focused geometry creates a spark plasma at the blade edge, resulting in clean tissue dissection with minimal thermal injury.

In fact, comparative wound healing analysis of porcine skin incisions shows an Epitome® incision producing significantly reduced thermal injury as compared to a standard electrosurgical tip incision, and markedly improved wound healing as evidenced by a significant reduction in scarring compared to the standard tip .

Epitome® Provides:

• Quick and precise cutting through dense breast tissue when performing reduction mammaplasty and mastectomy.
• Quickly elevates abdominal flap and reduces or eliminates seroma in abdominoplasty.
• Reduces thermal tissue injury, yet easily dissects fatty tissue without increasing power settings.
• Minimizes necrotic zone to help reduce circulation complications in skin flaps.

• Minimizes thermal effects during tonsillectomy and UPPP, potentially reducing post-surgical pain and allowing a faster return to normal diet.

• Short tip of the "bendable" version promotes precise tonsil excision with minimized risk for peripheral tissue burns.

• The bendable shaft allows for easy access to IMA with quick, clean performance and minimal thermal injury.
• ZapGuard™ (see image right) is available on select Epitome® Scalpels to reduce potential for electrical shocks and burns.

IDEAL DESIGN MINIMIZES THERMAL INJURY

In addition to its heat-resistance, Epitome's ceramic blade is also electrically non-conductive. Thus the depth of thermal injury from the sides of the blade is limited. In addition, this important feature of Epitome® ensures electrical energy will not pass through the blade to any tissue which might inadvertently come in contact with the blade. As a result, less electrical power is required to perform a desired cut, thermal damage in the wound is minimized and patient recovery times may be improved. This condition can only be matched with a cold (non-ES) scalpel, harmonic scalpel, or carefully controlled laser, but not with any other ES (Bovie) blade. However, these other non-Bovie tools cannot control hemostasis. With Epitome®, hemostasis is controlled through the selection of loop wire diameter and/or by the mode setting on your ES generator.