Objective To compare the advantages and disadvantages of using the harmonic scalpel and bipolar coagulation forceps versus harmonic scalpel and conventional clamp-and-tie technique in open thyroid surgery.Methods One hundred patients indicated for thyroid surgery were randomly divided into two groups：the bipolar coagulation forceps group underwent surgery with harmonic scalpel and bipolar coagulation forceps，and the conventional clamp-and-tie group with harmonic scalpel and conventional clamp-and-tie technique，respectively.All operations were performed by the same group of doctors.The total operation time，intraoperative bleeding，mass diameter，postoperative drainage，and surgical complications （postoperative bleeding， postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis，seroma，and permanent postoperative hypoparathyroidism） were compared.Results There were 48 valid cases in the bipolar coagulation forceps group， and 49 cases in the conventional clamp-and-tie group. There were no significant differences between two groups patients of age，gender，disease composition，and mass diameter（P＞0.05）.With the same operative approach， the total operation time，intraoperative bleeding，and the incidence of transient postoperative hypoparathyroidism in the bipolar coagulation forceps group were significantly lower than those in the conventional clamp-and-tie group （P＜0.001）.The postoperative drainage in the bipolar coagulation forceps group was more than that in the conventional clamp-and-tie group （P＜0.05）.There was no single case of postoperative bleeding，postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis，seroma，and permanent postoperative hypoparathyroidism in both groups.Conclusions The combination of harmonic scapel with bipolar coagulation forceps provides significant advantages over the combination of harmonic scapel with conventional clamp-and-tie technique in open thyroid surgery.
ObjectiveTo summarize the new ideas and new instruments in thyroid surgery. MethodsRelated literatures were reviewed and analyzed. ResultsTotal thyroidectomy had become the preferred option for differentiated thyroid cancer and multiple nodule goiter. The key change of surgery was from recurrent laryngeal nerve-protection to parathyroid-protection. Harmonic scalpel, bipolar coagulation forceps and Ligasure were used to thyroid surgery, which could shorten operation time and reduce operative bleeding. ConclusionThe ideas and techniques of thyroid surgery have changed, total thyroidectomy and parathyroid protection are being paid more and more attentions, and new instruments are used more extensively in thyroid surgery.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of clipless laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) to patients with calculous cholecystitis in acute inflammation stage. Methods The clinical data of 169 patients with calculous cholecystitis in acute inflammation stage who underwent clipless LC from December 2008 to July 2010 were analyzed. ResultsAll patients were successfully operated by LC except one case who suffered from gallbladder perforation and a conversion to open surgery was performed. The operation time ranged from 25-70 min (mean 38 min). The blood loss ranged from 10-200 ml (mean 22 ml). Peritoneal drainage was done in 38 patients, and the drainage time ranged from 1-6 d (mean 1.8 d). The time to out-of-bed activity was at 2 h after operation and the hospitalization time was 3-7 d (mean 3.5 d). There was no complication such as bile duct injury, hemorrhage, billiary leakage, and intra-abdominal infection. ConclusionWith improvement of operator’s experiences and skills, the clipless LC becomes feasible and safe for patients with calculous cholecystitis in acute inflammation stage.
ObjectiveTo investigate the cause and treatment for chyle fistula after neck radical dissection using harmonic scalpel. MethodsFrom January 2005 to April 2009, 105 patients with thyroid carcinoma underwent thyroidectomy by harmonic scalpel (harmonic scalpel group) and 110 patients with thyroid carcinoma by conventional procedures (conventional group). Postoperative chyle fistula in all the cases was studied retrospectively. ResultsThe incidence of chyle fistula was 5.71% (6 of 105 patients) in the harmonic scalpel group and 0.91% (1 of 110 patients) in the conventional group. The difference was significant between two groups (Plt;0.05). ConclusionsHarmonic scalpel increases the risk of chyle fistula in neck radical dissection. The conventional procedures with exposing and preserving or ligating the thoracic duct can reduce the risk significantly.
Objective To compare the disadvantages and advantages of open thyroid surgery when using the harmonic scalpel (HS) vs conventional hemostasis (CH). Methods One hundred and fifty-one patients and 70 patients underwent thyroid surgery with HS or CH respectively. The tumor diameter, incisional length, the total operative time, thyroidectomy time, intraoperative bleeding volume, postoperative drainage volume and surgical complications were compared. The incisional length and the surgical complications in and after learning curve with harmonic scalpel were compared. Results There was no significant difference between the HS and CH group at baseline. Incisional length, total operative time, thyroidectomy time, intraoperative bleeding volume and postoperative drainage volume in HS group were significantly lower than those of CH group (P＜0.001); the surgical complications showed no significant difference between the HS and CH group (Pgt;0.05); the incisional length after learning curve was shorter than that in learning curve in HS group (P＜0.05); the surgical complications after learning curve were significantly lower than that in learning curve in HS group (P＜0.001). Conclusion HS provides significant advantages over conventional hemostasis in open thyroid surgery. However, it can’t be used in a blindly exclusive way but be combined with conventional knot tying appropriately.
ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility and safety of clinical application of bipolar coagulation forceps in open thyroid operations and summarize the operation skill. MethodsThe clinical data of 347 cases performed thyroid operations with bipolar coagulation forceps and Harmonic scalpel respectively from October 2010 to October 2014 in our hospital were analyzed retrospectively. ResultsNo statistical differences was found on the operative time, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative drainage, and postoperative hospitalization of the two groups (P > 0.05). The complications of transient palsy of recurrent laryngeal nerve and transient functional insufficiency of parathyroid were more in Harmonic scalpel group than in bipolar coagulation forceps group with statistical difference (P < 0.05). But there was no difference of the complications of airway obstruction, permanent injuries of recurrent laryngeal nerve, parathyroid and superior laryngeal nerve in the two groups (P > 0.05). ConclusionsThyroid operations with bipolar coagulation forceps are safe and feasible. Coagulation tightly along the thyroid capsule followed by incision with explicit subtle dissection is the key point of the decrease of complications.
ObjectiveTo compare the advantages and drawbacks of harmonic scalpel (HS) versus conventional electro-scalpel (ES) in the surgery for carcinoma of uterine cervix. MethodsA total of 126 patients with stage Ⅰ uterine cervix carcinoma who underwent surgery between January 2011 and November 2015 were randomly and averagely divided into HS group and ES group with 63 patients in each. The operation time, intra-operative bleeding volume, the number of lymph nodes detected and operation cost were compared between the two groups of patients. ResultsAll the patients underwent surgery successfully. There were significant differences between the HS and ES groups in terms of operation time[(202.06±11.67) minutes vs.(223.48±18.01) minutes, P<0.001], intra-operative bleeding[(373.97±27.95) mL vs.(458.16±33.18) mL, P<0.001], operation cost[(4 171.43±276.46) yuan vs.(3 101.54±258.59) yuan, P<0.001]. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the number of lymph nodes detected (10.38±2.43 vs.9.76±2.61, P=0.172). ConclusionThe use of harmonic scalpel can reduce operation time and intra-operative bleeding volume effectively, but it cannot increase the number of lymph nodes detected. Moreover, it significantly increases the operation cost and economic burden for the patients.
Objective To evaluate the clinical effects of harmonic scalpel application in thoracoscopic surgery for lung cancer, which may guide its reasonable application. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 145 lung cancer patients receiving thoracoscopic surgery from January to March 2017 in our hospital. There were 57 patients with thoracoscopic pulmonary wedge resection, and harmonic scalpel was used in 34 patients (8 males, 26 females at age of 59.68±10.91 years), and was not used in 23 patients (13 males and 10 females at age of 59.13±11.21 years). There were 88 patients receiving thoracoscopic pulmonary lobectomy, among whom harmonic scalpel was used in 80 patients (36 males and 44 females at age of 59.68±10.91 years), and was not used in 8 patients (5 males, 3 females at age of 61.63±5.60 years). We recorded the perioperative outcomes of all patients. Results In the 34 patients undergoing thoracoscopic pulmonary wedge resection by harmonic scalpe, the operation time was 90.09±43.52 min, the blood loss was 21.32±12.75 ml, the number of lymph nodes resected was 5.12±4.26, duration of drainage was 3.15±1.16 d, volume of drainage was 535.00±291.69 ml, the length of postoperative hospital stay was 4.56±1.40 d, and no postoperative complication was observed. In the 80 patients receiving thoracoscopic pulmonary lobectomy by harmonic scalpel, operation time was 131.88±41.82 min, blood loss was 42.79±31.62 ml, the number of lymph nodes resected was 13.54±8.75, duration of thoracic drainage was 4.47±2.30 d, drainage volume was 872.09±585.24 ml, the length of postoperative hospital stay was 5.81±2.26 d, and 20 patients had postoperative complications. No complication occurred in the 8 patients without harmonic scalpel. Conclusion Harmonic scalpel showed satisfactory effectiveness and safety in lung cancer thoracoscopic surgery.
Objective To assess the outcome of harmonic scalpel (HS) in esophageal cancer surgery and to provide evidence for the role of HS in the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) and short-term prognosis after esophageal cancer surgery. Methods We collected the clinical data of 81 esophageal cancer patients receiving surgery by HS between January 1 and December 31, 2016 and successfully followed up in our department. There were 67 males and 14 females with an average age of 64.07±7.52 years. Sweet approach was adopted in 16 patients, Ivor-Lewis approach in 23 and McKeown approach in 40. Intrathoracic anastomosis was completed in 41 patients and cervical anastomosis in 40. The length of total hospital stay and postoperative hospital stay, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, duration and volume of thoracic drainage and perioperative complications were recorded and compared in patients with different surgical approaches and anastomosis sites. Results For these 81 patients, the operation time was 276.7±70.4 min, and the intraoperative blood loss was 115.9±69.7 ml. The postoperative duration of thoracic drainage, postoperative complication rate and the drainage volume were 12.3±5.3 d, 35.80% and 1 411.9±1 199.5 ml, respectively. During the follow-up, 15 patients died and the cumulative survival rate was 81.48%. There was no obvious HS-related complication. The operation time of Sweet approach was shorter than that of Ivor-Lewis or McKeown approach (P=0.012) and the dissected lymph nodes were less in Sweet approach (P=0.035). There was no significant difference in perioperative indexes and postoperative short-term prognosis between intrathoracic anastomosis and cervical anastomosis. Conclusion HS is widely used in the surgery for esophageal cancer with safety and effectiveness, which is worthy of clinical application.
ObjectivesTo systematically review the safety of harmonic scalpel and conventional resection in superficial parotidectomy.MethodsPubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, WanFang Data and CBM databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or cohort studies of harmonic scalpel and conventional resection in superficial parotidectomy from the inception of the database to December, 2018. Two reviewers independently screened literatures, extracted data and assessed risk of bias of the included studies. Then meta-analysis was performed by using RevMan 5.3 software.ResultsA total of 10 studies involving 671 post-cesarean section patients (361 patients in harmonic scalpel group and 310 patients in conventional resection group) were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that: compared with conventional resection, harmonic scalpel had shorter operative time (MD=−23.82, 95%CI −31.20 to −16.44, P<0.000 01), less postoperative drain output (MD=−26.25, 95%CI −38.95 to −13.55, P<0.000 1), less intraoperative blood loss (MD=−23.78, 95%CI −28.64 to −18.91, P<0.000 01), shorter duration of hospital stay (MD=−1.19, 95%CI −2.14 to −0.23, P=0.02), and lower temporary facial nerve palsy rate (OR=0.27, 95%CI 0.14 to 0.50, P<0.000 1). However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of parotid gland leakage between two groups (OR=0.42, 95%CI 0.16 to 1.06, P=0.07).ConclusionsThe current evidence demonstrates that, compared to conventional resection, harmonic scalpel resection is safer. Due to limited quality and quantity of the included studies, more high-quality studies are required to verify above conclusions.