Radio wave removal of keratoma

Keratoma is one of the types of benign formations that occur on human skin. Most of all, they resemble freckles or age spots. As one of the main causes of keratomas, dermatologists consider the abuse of sunbathing. Under the influence of ultraviolet keratinization of epithelial cells occurs, which contributes to the formation of neoplasms.

The color of keratomas varies from flesh to dark brown. Most often, these neoplasms appear on the arms, neck and back, much less often they occur on the legs.

Sometimes keratomas disappear on their own over time, but in some cases it is necessary to resort to removal.

Types of keratomas

Dermatologists distinguish several types of keratomas. So, for example, after forty years, so-called senile formations may appear – spots of a white or grayish hue, the diameter of which may increase with time. They occur most often on the neck, face and on the back of the hands. Sometimes these spots can crust and become inflamed.

Solar keratomas appear most often in men with fair skin. They occur on those parts of the body that are most often exposed to sunlight. These neoplasms can be considered as harbingers of skin cancer, and therefore require mandatory medical advice.

One of the most dangerous is seborrheic keratoma – a yellowish-brown spot that eventually begins to peel off and bleed, causing inflammation. These formations also need mandatory medical monitoring, as do horny keratomas, which are most prone to transforming into malignant tumors. Follicular keratomas are the least common. Women are more susceptible to them than men. These neoplasms usually appear on the upper lip and on the scalp and are pinkish-gray nodules.

In what cases it is necessary to remove a keratoma

The decision to remove a keratoma should be made only after consulting a doctor. In the event that the formation is located on a skin area hidden from the eyes and does not cause either aesthetic or physical discomfort, removal can be delayed. However, in some cases, education should be removed without fail. So, for example, doctors recommend removing keratomas that rise above the skin, as a result of which they are often injured and subjected to friction. Also, a keratoma should be removed if it begins to rapidly increase in size, begins to bleed or becomes covered with cracks. People who spend a lot of time in the sun are advised to get rid of neoplasms.

The aesthetic aspect is also important. Often, keratomas located on open areas of the skin cause cosmetic inconvenience, provoking complexes and self-doubt. In this case, the neoplasm can also be removed after consulting a dermatologist.

There are several ways to remove a keratoma. You can remove the neoplasm with a laser, using liquid nitrogen, electric current, as well as surgical excision or radio wave removal. The final verdict on which removal method to use in each case is made by the doctor after a visual examination and anamnesis.

So, formations of small sizes can be removed using cryodestruction with liquid nitrogen – the keratoma simply dies off under the influence of low temperatures. The disadvantage of this method is a rather high probability of scarring and scarring, as well as the inability to use it with reduced blood clotting. In turn, laser removal is quick and painless, eliminates the appearance of bleeding, but also has a fairly wide range of contraindications.

Electrocoagulation, in other words, cauterization of tumor tissues with electric current, is a very effective method of getting rid of keratomas, but in most cases it leaves scars and is contraindicated in people with hypertension.

The most radical method of removing a keratoma is surgical excision of the neoplasm with a scalpel. However, in this case, the appearance of scars of varying severity is inevitable, and in addition, the procedure is painful, although it is performed under local anesthesia.

Recently, the radio wave method of removing keratomas has been the most popular. It is considered the most advanced, very effective and at the same time is almost painless.

The essence of the radio wave method

The technique of radio wave surgery is based on the use of an “invisible scalpel” – high-frequency waves. This procedure is also known as radioknife. This method began to be used in dermatology and aesthetic medicine relatively recently and is considered one of the most gentle and at the same time the most effective.

Due to its configuration, the “radio knife” concentrates high-frequency electromagnetic radiation in a small area, as a result of which it becomes possible to cut tissue with it, as if with an ordinary scalpel. At the same time, if the device has been correctly configured, the radiation does not affect healthy tissues, affecting only the area that has undergone pathological changes. Under the influence of radio waves, several processes simultaneously occur in the epidermis. First of all, microscopic incisions appear, and the pathologically altered cells themselves, under the influence of a knife, begin to generate heat and evaporate on their own. It is noteworthy that the wounds under the influence of all the same radio waves are immediately disinfected and coagulated.

Radio wave removal is most often used to remove single skin neoplasms with a small area. Radioknife makes it possible to remove keratomas in one procedure. The procedure is non-contact and therefore sterile. Radio waves dissect tissues and simultaneously cauterize them, which eliminates the development of bleeding. In total, the removal of one keratoma by the radio wave method takes no more than three minutes, and the wound heals within a week.

Advantages and disadvantages of radio wave removal of keratomas

The method of radio wave surgery has recently become increasingly popular. This is quite natural, since this procedure for getting rid of neoplasms on the skin boasts a huge number of advantages compared to other methods.

First of all, the radioknife allows the surgeon to adjust the radiation power, thereby controlling the depth of penetration of the waves. As a result, skin formations are removed very carefully, without damaging the surrounding tissues. As a result, unaesthetic scars and scars do not appear at the site of the removed neoplasms.

A tangible plus of the radio wave method for removing keratomas is the absence of pain. Since the radiation is directional, it does not irritate the nerve endings and does not provoke muscle contraction. Therefore, during the procedure, the patient practically does not feel any discomfort.

Since the radioknife not only cuts, but also coagulates the tissues, the removal process is bloodless. This eliminates the development of inflammatory processes and infection. In addition, the likelihood of postoperative edema and other complications is minimized.

Another indisputable advantage of this method is the ability to remove neoplasms located in hard-to-reach places. Also, the removed tissues can be sent for histological analysis to exclude the possibility that malignant degeneration has begun.

In fact, the radio wave method for removing keratomas has only one drawback: it is used only in cases where it is necessary to remove the formation of a small diameter. If the area of ​​the keratoma is large enough, other methods are usually used.

Contraindications to radio wave removal

Like any surgical intervention, radio wave removal of keratomas also has its own contraindications, in which the use of this method is highly undesirable:

1. It is necessary to refrain from using the radioknife if the patient has been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.
2. Excluded radio wave removal of neoplasms for pregnant and lactating women.
3. With extreme caution, it is worth approaching the procedure if the patient is diagnosed with cardiovascular insufficiency.
4. At a later date, the removal of the keratoma by the radio wave method should be postponed if the patient has recently had ARVI, influenza or other similar diseases.

How radio wave removal is performed

No preliminary preparation before removing the keratoma by the radio wave method is required from the patient. All preparatory work is carried out by a doctor. He must carefully examine the neoplasm, examine its boundaries and the depth of penetration into the skin. It is on the basis of this data that he decides which radio waves to use in a given situation and tunes the radio knife to the desired frequency.

The patient lies down on the couch. The area of ​​skin to be exposed is disinfected and anesthetized. It should be borne in mind that pain relief in this case is more of a “reinsurance” character, because the procedure itself is practically painless. The frequency of the current used for manipulation is so high that it does not cause muscle contraction and does not stimulate nerve endings, as a result of which the patient does not experience any discomfort.

As anesthesia, both an injection of lidocaine or novocaine can be used, as well as the application of special creams that treat the affected area. After five to ten minutes, anesthesia begins to act, after which the doctor proceeds with the procedure.

Outwardly, the radio knife looks like a thin metal rod connected to the device with a wire loop at the end. It is through this loop that the effect of radio waves on the cells of the formation is carried out. Also, in addition to the main loop electrode, a ball electrode can also be used, which is usually used to level the wound and coagulate the vessels in order to prevent the risk of bleeding.

Radio wave surgery is a non-contact method. In other words, there is no physical pressure on the tissue. As noted above, under the influence of a powerful radiation flux, there is a surge of thermal energy and tissue heating, as a result of which the cells simply evaporate.

Many patients, who are not too aware of how the keratoma is removed by the radio wave method, are afraid that during the procedure you can get burned or electric shock. However, such experiences are completely groundless. During the operation, the electrode does not come into contact with the skin, the doctor simply places it near the surgical field.

After removing the neoplasm, the doctor treats the wound with an antiseptic and closes it with a sterile gauze bandage.

How to behave after radio wave removal

Removal of a keratoma by the radio wave method is considered a simple operation that causes minimal damage to the skin. However, in the place where the neoplasm was previously located, a small wound will appear.

It will heal in stages. First, a thin crust forms, which itself will fall off over time. Under no circumstances should it be scratched. Also, for at least five days after surgery, the area of ​​skin that has been exposed should not be wetted.

Dermatologists recommend that for at least six months after the removal of the keratoma, do not use decorative or care cosmetics based on alcohol or other aggressive substances to care for the skin area exposed to radio waves.

Also, do not abuse sunbathing and visit the solarium.

Possible complications

As a rule, there are no complications after the removal of neoplasms with a radioknife. However, before the wound is completely healed, you should inspect the removal site daily and contact your doctor if anything seems wrong or suspicious to you.