You searched for: “electrodesiccation”
electrodesiccation (s), electrodesiccations (pl) (noun forms)
1. The diathermic destruction of small growths; such as, of the urinary bladder, skin, or cervix by means of a single needle-shaped terminal electrode with a small sparking distance: "The surgeon removed a suspect mole by electrodesiccation and thoroughly desiccated the immediately adjoining tissue with a needle electrode."
2. A technique in electrosurgery in which tissue is destroyed by burning with an electric spark.

It is used primarily for eliminating small superficial growths; however, it may be used with curettage to eradicate abnormal tissue deeper in the skin or to stop bleeding.

This procedure is performed under local anesthesia.

3. The destructive drying of cells and tissue by means of short high-frequency electric sparks, as opposed to fulguration, the destruction of tissue by means of long high-frequency electric sparks.

Among other applications, electrodesiccations are used for hemostasis (stopping the flow of blood) of very small capillaries or veins which have been severed (cut) during surgery.

This entry is located in the following units: -ation, -ization (-iz[e] + -ation); -isation (British spelling variation) (page 33) electro-, electr-, electri- (page 28) sicca-, sicc- + (page 1)