Coaxial radio frequency (RF) diathermy in anterior segment surgery.

Modern ophthalmic microsurgery, particularly cataract extraction, trabeculectomy, and other forms of glaucoma filtration surgery, has been characterized by ever increasing precision. The use of radio frequency (RF) currents for cautery of blood vessels in anterior segment microsurgery has several advantages over other methods widely employed, including the bipolar cautery. A coaxial monopolar underwater diathermy probe, which operates with RF current has been specifically developed for anterior segment microsurgery and has proved vastly superior in cataract surgery, trabeculectomy, and full thickness glaucoma filtration procedures.