Direct-current potentials created by arcing during monopolar radiofrequency electrosurgery

Muscle and nerve stimulation during radiofrequency electrosurgery has been a well-known phenomenon for over 50 years. However, as electrosurgery expands into new procedures, such as tissue ablation in the heart, the mechanism of the potentially deleterious stimulation becomes more important. This article presents data showing that large DC currents are generated during electrosurgery and that these potentials increase with increasing sparking at the active electrode. The data also show DC potentials generated by various generators, different operation modes (cut, coagulation, fulguration), and operations on tissues of various impedances.