Which safety consideration is true for bipolar energy?

• A. Activate away from adjacent organs.
• B. Activate near critical nerves to monitor energy.
• C. Avoid activating the device in close proximity to adjacent organs.
• D. Only use in dry tissue.

Answer: (C)

Bipolar energy concentrates current between its two tips, so the electrical path—and thus most of the heating—occurs in the tissue between the jaws, which reduces stray current to distant structures. But heat can still spread to nearby organs if the device is activated when it is very close to them. To minimize the risk of thermal injury, avoid activating the device in close proximity to adjacent organs and instead maintain a safe distance, use the lowest effective energy, and apply short activations with good tissue separation. The other options don’t capture the central safety rule: energy must not be used near nearby critical structures, and bipolar devices can be used in moist fields, not only in dry tissue.