ArthroCare ENT USHow does Coblation compare to other types of RF-based technologies?
Coblation technology was designed and patented by ArthroCare® Corporation. It means “controlled ablation” and refers to the process of surgically dissociating tissue using a plasma-based radiofrequency (RF) device. Coblation technology has been used in more than 10,000 operating rooms and has been employed in the treatment of more than five million patients worldwide.
It all comes down to lower power emission
ArthroCare offers voltage-regulated RF controllers for ENT surgical procedures; other RF controllers are often power-regulated. Because the voltage output is fixed at each controller set point, a voltage-regulated system significantly decreases the power output in response to increasing impedance (according to Ohm’s Law), a function of plasma formation and the surgical environment. In contrast, a power-regulated system increases the voltage output to ensure that the power remains constant at each controller set point.
Derivation of Ohm's Law
Power = (Voltage)2 / Impedance
Ohm's Law defines the relationship between power, voltage, current, and resistance or impedance. Since the voltage on the Arthrocare controller is fixed, power output decreases automatically as the impedance increases with plasma formation, limiting thermal exposure of tissue over the duration of the procedure.
The ArthroCare voltage-regulated platform diminishes power exposure to the tissue during the procedure. ArthroCare Plasma Wands dissipate substantially less power per gram of tissue removed than competitive systems. And lower power dissipation corresponds directly to lower temperatures.