RF burns are typically categorized according to appearance and suspected mechanism. Skin/skin contact burns are postulated to be caused by significant current flows through a restricted contact area. While not definitively proven, patients are instructed to not clasp hands and pads should be routinely used to minimize skin/skin contact. The effectiveness of a thin pad is investigated with EM modeling. A reported calf burn (peak 10g SAR:whole body SAR ratio ~86) may be avoidable with a 1 mm air gap (SAR hotspot ratio ~2). Understanding that thin pads are sufficient may permit greater flexibility in possible pad solutions.
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