What is electrocoagulation?
Electrocoagulation is an electrosurgical technique that uses electrical current used in the coagulation of tissues that need to be removed. These can be seborrheic keratoses, common warts and some types of dermatological pathologies. It is performed under local anesthesia, can be performed in an outpatient center and does not require hospitalization.
Why is it performed?
Electrocoagulation is a treatment technique used in various treatments and medical specialties, being its most common use to remove skin lesions such as warts and ruby spots in dermatology.
It is also frequently used to coagulate arteries and veins and prevent hemorrhages, as well as for the resection of tumors or lesions in deep places. Thus, in Gynecology this treatment is common to eliminate warts and lesions caused in the cervix by the Human Papilloma Virus.
Electrocoagulation in the removal of warts
What does it consist of?
The electrocoagulation session consists of applying, under local anesthesia, concentrated electric current with an electroburning device. The electric current is applied to the tissue by means of an electrode that heats up and burns the tissue, destroying the lesion.
The process usually takes about 10 minutes and does not require stitches.
Preparation for electrocoagulation
Electrocoagulation is an outpatient treatment, which can be performed in the dermatologist’s office. It is not necessary to go to the operating room and local anesthesia is used, so no special preparation is required from the patient.
Care after the procedure
The patient will be able to return to his normal routine immediately after electrocoagulation. In most cases, the patient will be advised to avoid humidity in the lesion, as well as to avoid sun exposure.
In some lesions it may be necessary to carry out dressings, for which the patient will receive the pertinent instructions from the specialist.
Alternatives to electrocoagulation
The main alternative to electrocoagulation in the treatment of skin lesions is cryotherapy, which consists of applying liquid nitrogen to the lesion in order to freeze it.
Both heat and cold are useful agents in electrosurgery. Therefore, cryotherapy is also effective in most cases, except in some lesions such as those covered by keratin, since keratin does not respond effectively to freezing.