FEM numerical model study of electrosurgical dispersive electrode design parameters

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Electrosurgery
• Thermal Modeling

Background:

• Electrosurgical dispersive electrodes are crucial for monopolar procedures like radio frequency ablation (RFA).
• RFA demands stringent electrode design due to high, continuous currents and prolonged application times.
• Current design methods lack fundamental engineering criteria, necessitating extensive experimentation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel engineering design framework for electrosurgical dispersive electrodes.
• To introduce a new electrode stress parameter for predicting electrode performance.
• To establish fundamental design criteria for RFA electrodes.

Main Methods:

• Development and application of a new electrode stress parameter.
• Utilized finite element method (FEM) modeling for numerical simulations.
• Calibrated FEM models against experimental radio frequency lesions in porcine skin.

Main Results:

• The new electrode stress parameter shows strong correlation with experimental data and numerical models.
• Successfully established a fundamental principle for dispersive electrode performance.
• Provided a reliable method for preliminary electrode design calculations.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrode stress parameter offers a robust framework for designing safer and more effective electrosurgical electrodes.
• This approach reduces the need for extensive experimental testing in electrode design.
• The findings are applicable to preliminary electrode design, experiment planning, and performance evaluation.