electrosurgery

A procedure that uses an electric current to cut, remove, or destroy tissue and control bleeding. The current is carried through an electrode that is placed on or near the tissue. Electrosurgery may be used to treat basal cell skin cancer or other types of skin problems, such as actinic keratoses, warts, and moles. It may also be used to remove abnormal cells from the cervix and to treat abnormal tissue of the vagina, vulva, penis, and anus that might become cancer. Examples of electrosurgery are electrodesiccation and fulguration.