Electrosurgery

Not every practice needs the same generator. A high-volume spay/neuter clinic and a specialty soft tissue hospital have very different requirements. Here’s what to weigh before you buy.

Should I get a monopolar or bipolar electrosurgery unit?

Most practices need both modes available, not just one. Monopolar energy, delivered through a reusable cautery pencil, works well for general cutting and coagulation across a wide range of soft tissue procedures. Bipolar energy, delivered through bipolar forceps or a vessel sealing clamp, gives more localized control for delicate work near sensitive structures. A generator that supports both modes, rather than a single-mode unit, gives your surgical team flexibility without adding a second system to your OR.

How much power output do I need?

Power needs come down to your case mix: a high-volume spay/neuter practice requires less wattage than a hospital handling complex soft tissue or oncologic surgery.

• The Surtron 160 delivers up to 160W in CUT mode and includes a bipolar adapter, making it well suited to routine procedures and general practice caseloads.
• The Surtron 200 steps up to 200W in CUT mode with native monopolar and bipolar capability plus microsurgery and vessel sealing support, handling a broader range of tissue types and longer procedures.

Matching wattage to your actual caseload avoids paying for capability you won’t use or outgrowing a unit within a year.

Compatibility with Your Existing Setup

An electrosurgery unit rarely works in isolation. Check whether the generator integrates with your current smoke evacuation system, footswitch controls, and any vessel sealing equipment already in your operating room.

The VetOvation Seal + Cut is built around this idea. It is a 4-in-1 system combining a 200W generator, bipolar and monopolar cautery, vessel sealing, and a smoke evacuator in a single platform, so your staff can train on and maintain one system instead of several. It also comes complete with a large array of disposable and reusable products to make sure your team is prepared for anything, including a large number of cases, right up front.

Why does smoke evacuation matter?

Surgical smoke is a real occupational exposure risk for patients and veterinary staff, not just a visibility issue, so your generator should communicate automatically with a smoke evacuation unit rather than requiring manual coordination between two separate devices.

The VetOvation Smoke Evacuator by Surtron activates automatically alongside compatible Surtron generators, and its filtration removes particles down to 0.12 microns. That keeps the surgical field clear and reduces staff and patient exposure without adding steps to the procedure.

Durability and Long-Term Cost

Electrosurgical instruments go through repeated sterilization cycles, and not all handpieces hold up the same way over time. Reusable, autoclavable instruments, such as the pencils and bipolar clamps included with the Surtron and Seal + Cut systems, typically cost less per use over time than fully disposable options. Ask about expected instrument lifespan and generator warranty terms before comparing sticker price alone.

Specifications Worth Comparing Side by Side

Before deciding, compare units on the same criteria: wattage range, available energy modes, smoke evacuation compatibility, and included accessories. The Surtron 200 and Seal + Cut generators also add a 7-inch touch screen with pre-programmed surgery protocols, letting staff select a saved protocol suited to the procedure instead of manually dialing in power settings each time. That’s a meaningful time-saver in a larger practice, since several surgeons can rely on the same generator producing consistent settings across different procedure types. The Surtron 160 uses manual dial controls and doesn’t include this feature.