a question about C-sections for Medical Professionals

[azurnoir]

Last edited Wed Jul 24, 2013, 06:14 PM - Edit history (1)

this is a straight forward question not seeking advice

Is it permissible to use a laser type scalpel when performing a C-section? Specifically to do the opening incision on the womb?

Are there AMA guide lines concerning this?

[Ilsa]

1. I'm curious, why do you ask?

I'm wondering what advantage there would be. Precision cutting would be critical, I would think, and the uterus might be thinner in some areas compared to others. The only advantage I could see would be a potential for decreased blood loss, but I don't know if there are studies on this.

I'm a RN who has observed CS and had two.

[azurnoir]

2. Curiousity mostly but also I've been told it's a no-no

due to risk of injury to the baby

[Ilsa]

4. I'm guessing that a scalpel

is easier to use along with touch and vision to ascertain cutting depth. Yes, the OB has two patients whose wellbeing must be considered. I would imagine that a fetus could change positions abruptly, and that a laser is more risky for various reasons I've mentioned, especially the nonuniformity of the thickness of the uterus.

[Warpy]

3. Same here, except I haven't had any myself

but I've seen them use the cauterizing scalpel and not the laser scalpel.

The main advance in C-sections since I've been around is the transverse incision instead of the old midline incision. Healing is better because the blood supply to the incision is better and the risk of uterine rupture during a subsequent vaginal delivery is greatly reduced.

[azurnoir]

5. what is the difference between the cauterizing scalpel and the laser scalpel?

don't both carry the risk of injury to the baby?

[Warpy]

6. There is risk in any major surgery,

most of which is borne by the woman in a c-section, not the fetus.

A drunken doc could slice too deeply with a normal scalpel, you know.

The cauterizing scalpel uses a low wattage electrical current to cauterize small vessels as it cuts.

[azurnoir]

7. of course there are risks to any surgery major or not however

could a low wattage cauterizing scalpel cause a major burn 2nd to 3rd degree burn to the baby if say it touched it, even for a fraction of a second

[tavalon]

8. I've seen plenty of baby's get a little swipe

from the cautery. It's very traumatic for the parents but the babies heal so fast, it's hard to tell by a week out. I've also seen babies with their poor scalps almost ripped off by poorly done vacuum extractions. So there's that.

20+years in the biz