How does bipolar ablation break down tissue?

Bipolar ablation primarily operates through a thermal reaction, where controlled heat is generated to break down tissue. This process involves delivering energy between two electrodes, which heats the tissue in the immediate area. The thermal effect effectively disrupts the cellular structure, leading to coagulation and necrosis, thereby allowing for precise removal or destruction of unhealthy or damaged tissue.

The other choices do not accurately represent the mechanism of bipolar ablation. Electrical discharge does play a role in how energy is transmitted, but it is the resulting heat from this discharge that causes alterations in the tissue rather than a direct discharge effect. A chemical reaction would involve the use of substances that chemically alter or degrade tissue, which is not how bipolar ablation functions. Mechanical disintegration, while applicable in other surgical techniques, refers to the physical breakdown of tissue rather than the thermal process unique to bipolar ablation.