Discover Coblation^® Technology

Coblation^® — "Controlled Ablation" uses electro-magnetic energy to excite the electrolytes in a conductive medium, creating a precisely focused plasma field. The energized particles in the plasma have sufficient energy to break molecular bonds, resects and ablates soft tissue at relatively low temperatures, thereby preserving the integrity of surrounding healthy tissue and neural elements.

Advantages of Coblation over other technologies:

• Functions at much cooler temperatures (40-70°C vs. 400-600°C).
• More precise with minimal effect to the surrounding tissue. Active plasma field is only 100-200µm thick (~thickness of a sheet of paper)

Advantages of Coblation over other soft tissue removal options:

• MIS approach through a small slit allowing 1-2.5mm wand tip introduction, no surgical window opening needed.
• One time entry, no back and forth entry/exit around sensitive anatomy.

How it works – The key is the Plasma Field

In the realm of physics, Plasma is defined as “a collection of charged particles containing about equal numbers of positive ions and electrons and exhibiting some properties of a gas but differing from a gas in being a good conductor of electricity and in being affected by a magnetic field.” “plasma.” Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009.

Plasma is a distinct state of matter in which many electrons are free and unbound and move independently. Coblation harnesses this physics phenomenon by generating an electric field between two small electrodes. Current flows through an electrically conductive solution (saline) to excite electrolytes and molecules creating a high-density energy field or plasma. With sufficient energy to break soft tissue molecular bonds, the energized particles resect and ablate soft tissue at relatively low temperatures all while preserving the integrity of surrounding healthy tissue.

How and why is gas formed in the Plasma Field?

Per its definition, Plasma exhibits properties of a gas. During the electrochemical process localized vaporization can occur. The vapor layer forms the electrical field around the electrodes. The vapor layer increases, ionizing and fragmenting the water molecules thus forming the Plasma Field.

Coblation versatility

Coblation wands allow for specific procedural use via instrument settings. Higher voltage settings produce the plasma field effect. Alternatively, choosing lower voltage setting (65-125 volts) the saline solution is activated by moving electrolyte dissipation. This low voltage produces shrinking of the collagen fibers through a change of the molecular structure. Blood vessels with the tissue may also be coagulated, thereby stopping their bleeding, all at much lower temperatures than with conventional electrocautery.