ABSTRACT
Probably the most common sort, using a high-power generator (400 W). A current is generated in the diathermy machine and passed to a hand-held electrode. At the tip of this electrode, the current density is very high, resulting in very high temperatures locally. The current then dissipates over a large amount of tissue to the patient ‘plate’ electrode – with a large surface area of at least 70 cm2, ensuring that the current density at the plate is low, and thus causing minimal heating.
