Topic summary
Cautery
Extracted from the Wikipedia article Cauterization.
Cautery was historically believed to prevent infection, but current research shows that cautery actually increases the risk of infection by causing more tissue damage and providing a more hospitable environment for bacterial growth. Actual cautery refers to the metal device, generally heated to a dull red glow, that a physician applies to produce blisters, to stop bleeding of a blood vessel, and for other similar purposes.