What is Fulguration? Let's learn about this electrical treatment.

If a doctor tells you about 'electric current treatment', you might be a little scared, right? You might think, "Oh, I'm going to get an electric shock." But electricity is actually an amazing, very controlled form of energy that is used in medicine to cure many diseases. Fulguration is one such treatment method. So today, we'll talk about everything, very simply, in a way that you can understand.

What is Fulguration, simply put?

Simply put, fulguration is a type of electrosurgery that uses high-frequency electric current to destroy abnormal or unwanted cells in the body.

Think of it this way. The doctor has a small pen-like device. At the tip of it, a very fine electric spark is emitted. This spark does not hit your skin or the body directly. Instead, the intense heat from the spark is used to burn and destroy only the targeted layer of cells. It is like a very fine, controlled lightning strike. This does not cause much damage to the surrounding healthy cells.

What kind of diseases is this treatment used for?

Doctors use this method to destroy benign, precancerous, or cancerous cell growths. It is sometimes used to stop bleeding after routine surgery.

You can get a good idea about this from the table below.

How should I prepare before treatment?

There is no special preparation required for this. The most important thing is to follow your doctor's instructions exactly. These instructions may vary depending on the treatment. Your doctor will explain the following to you:

• Fasting: How many hours should you stop eating and drinking before treatment?
• Taking medication: Whether or not you need to stop taking any medications you normally take (e.g., blood thinners) for that day.
• Going home: Will you be able to go home the same day after treatment, or will you have to stay in the hospital?
• Driving a vehicle: Depending on the type of anesthesia (numbing medicine) you are given, whether you need someone to drive you home.

What happens during treatment?

These steps may vary slightly depending on the treatment being performed, but it usually goes something like this:

1. Preparing yourself

The doctor will make you comfortable on an examination bed or chair. Then, the area to be treated will be cleaned and prepared.

2. Giving painkillers

You will be given anesthesia so that you don't feel any pain. This may be a local anesthesia, which numbs only the area being treated. Or it may be a regional anesthesia, which numbs part of your body. Sometimes you may be given a general anesthesia, which numbs your entire body.

3. Removal of abnormal cells

Now the doctor turns on the machine called an electrosurgical generator. Then, using the pen-like device (probe), he directs a fine electric current at the targeted cells. The heat generated burns and destroys the unwanted cells.

What are the benefits of this treatment?

Fulguration is a minimally invasive treatment that can often be done without major incisions . That's a big advantage.

• For skin problems, after this treatment, the problem can be completely cured without recurring.
• In conditions like endometriosis, relief can be achieved by destroying the tissue that causes bothersome symptoms, such as pain.
• This is a very effective way to remove bladder cancer cells in the early stages. (However, sometimes cancer cells can recur, so you need to continue to undergo medical tests.)

Talk to your doctor about the real benefits of this for your condition.

Are there any risks or complications?

As with any medical treatment, there are some risks. But the most important thing is that the doctors who perform this treatment have received special training in how to minimize these risks.

• The most common complication: Bleeding a few days after treatment. If bleeding occurs from a skin wound, it usually stops after about 20 minutes of continuous pressure. If the bladder was treated, some blood may pass through the urine. If the cervix was treated, there may be some vaginal bleeding. Your doctor will tell you about these things in advance.

Other risks are very low, because the medical team takes steps to protect against them, such as:

• Electric shock or fire: Take care not to let the equipment come into contact with flammable materials.
• Burns: During treatment, you will be careful not to come into contact with metal objects. Only non-flammable liquids are used for cleaning.
• Infections due to surgical smoke: Special equipment (smoke-evacuation systems) are used to remove surgical smoke. The medical team wears masks, safety glasses, and gloves.

What time should I see the doctor?

If you experience any of these symptoms after treatment, you should contact your doctor immediately without delay . Or go to the Emergency Department (ETU) of the nearest hospital.

• Fever: If the body temperature is higher than 101 Fahrenheit (38.3 Celsius).
• Excessive bleeding: If there is abnormally heavy bleeding from the treated area.
• Severe abdominal pain: If you experience unbearable stomach pain.

Are Fulguration and Cauterization the same thing?

Both are somewhat similar in that they use heat to destroy cells, but the way the electricity flows is different.

• Cauterization: This uses a direct current (DC). This means that the electricity only flows in one direction.
• Fulguration (Electrosurgery): This uses an alternating current (AC). As the electricity moves back and forth, more heat is generated.

This is a bit of a scientific story. Simply put, the doctor decides what method is most suitable and effective for the treatment you need.

While electrosurgery may sound like science fiction, this type of electrosurgery has been around for centuries. Fulguration has been around since the early 1900s. It gets its name from the Latin word for "lightning." It uses electrical sparks to generate the healing heat. So, if your doctor recommends this treatment, be sure to ask any questions you may have. That way, you can feel confident and confident about the procedure.