Cautery Pencils
Clear Choice Medical, an independent dealer of new and used surgical instruments, lists cautery pencils here when they are available. A cautery pencil, also called an electrosurgical pencil, is a handheld monopolar instrument that holds an electrode tip and connects to an electrosurgical generator.
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Other names for it include electrocautery pencil and monopolar pencil. The pencil carries current from the generator through its cord to a removable tip. Pencils differ in how the current is switched on. Hand control pencils have buttons on the barrel, while foot control pencils rely on a separate footswitch. Pencils also come in reusable and single-use designs. Monopolar cables, footswitches and electrodes sit in the wider electrosurgical equipment category.
When you compare cautery pencils, start with the control type and the plug at the generator end. Check the cord length as well, since it sets how far the pencil reaches from the unit. Look at the tip receptacle too, because electrode shanks come in more than one diameter. If you plan to use your own tips, confirm the shank size before you order. A model number on the handpiece or cord identifies the exact design.
Availability changes as pencils sell. See the current selection above, return to the electrosurgical equipment category or contact Clear Choice Medical about a model number.
Common questions about Cautery Pencils
What do the buttons on a push button cautery pencil do?
On a two-button hand control pencil, one button activates cut and the other activates coagulation. On many pencils the yellow button nearer the tip is cut and the blue button is coag. The generator sets the power for each mode, and the buttons switch that output on. One Valleylab generator manual shows how this works at the plug. Its 3-pin handswitching plug carries the active line plus separate cut and coag signal lines. Medtronic's Valleylab line also includes hand control pencils with a rocker switch instead of two buttons. Check the title for the switch type and look at the plug in the photos.
Is an electrocautery pencil the same as a thermal cautery?
No. In listings, electrocautery pencil is another name for an electrosurgical pencil, which works differently from a thermal cautery. An electrosurgical pencil connects to an electrosurgical generator. Its alternating current passes from the tip into tissue, so the patient is part of the circuit. In the strict sense, electrocautery means a metal tip heated by direct current, much like a soldering iron. With that design no current passes through the tissue. Some small thermal cautery units run on batteries. A generator cord and plug in the photos point to an electrosurgical pencil.
What tips fit a cautery pencil?
The common standard is a tip with a 3/32 inch (2.4 mm) shaft, which Valleylab button switch pencils accept. Some pencils add a hex-locking fitting that stops the tip from rotating in the holder. Tip shapes include blade and needle designs, and Valleylab supplies pencils with either one. Coated tips are also made, such as Valleylab's EDGE-coated electrodes. A listing title may name the tip shape and its length. Compare the shaft size and locking style before you pair a pencil with tips you already have. A model number on the tip packaging helps you match a replacement.