Safety

Traditional ultrasonic scalpels have the opposite properties to a torsional waveguide. Their powerful compression forces are present at the tip of the active blade and the weaker frictional forces are used to cut and coagulate. This explains the slow cutting of these longitudinal systems and highlights the danger that powerful compression energy is directed away from the cut site. This

is known as “Distal-Drilling” and can potentially damage vital structures without the surgeon’s knowledge

The torsional waveguide is much safer as it only has weak frictional forces at the tip of the active blade.

LONGITUDINAL		TORSIONAL