Electrical characterization of monopolar electrocautery settings as a substitute for soft coagulation in robotic surgery

Background: Soft coagulation is a high-frequency electrosurgical mode that denatures and coagulates tissue proteins at temperatures <100°C while maintaining voltages <200 V, thereby minimizing arc discharge. Although widely used in thoracoscopic surgery, current robotic systems, such as the da Vinci Surgical System, do not support the monopolar soft coagulation mode. Low-power monopolar coagulation is used in robot-assisted thoracic surgery as a substitute; however, its electrical characteristics remain unclear.