Ultrasonic scalpel versus electrocautery for internal mammary artery harvesting: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Although an ultrasonic harmonic scalpel (HS) has been used to harvest the internal mammary artery (IMA) for coronary artery bypass grafting, the benefits and risks compared to conventional electrocautery (EC) are not clear. We aimed to compare the outcomes of HS versus EC for IMA harvesting. METHODS: An electronic search was performed to identify all relevant studies. Baseline characteristics, perioperative variables, and clinical outcomes were extracted and pooled for meta-analysis. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 12 studies. Pooled analyses demonstrated that both groups had comparable preoperative baseline characteristics including age, gender, and left ventricular ejection fraction. HS included more diabetic patients [33% (95% CI 30, 35) vs. 27% (23, 31), p = 0.01]. Harvest time for unilateral IMA was significantly longer with HS than EC [39 (31, 47) minutes vs. 25 (17, 33) minutes, p < 0.01]. However, the rate of pedicled unilateral IMA was significantly higher for EC compared with HS [20% (17, 24) vs. 8% (7, 9), p < 0.01]. The rate of intact endothelium was significantly higher with HS than EC [95% (88, 98) vs. 81% (68, 89), p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in postoperative outcomes including bleeding [3% (2, 4)], sternal infection [3% (2, 4)], and operative/30-day mortality [3% (2, 4)]. CONCLUSIONS: HS required longer IMA harvest times which could be partially attributed to a higher skeletonization rate in this category. HS may cause less endothelial injury than EC; however, no significant differences in postoperative outcomes were seen between the groups.

Study of celiac artery variations and related surgical techniques in gastric cancer.

AIM: To investigate celiac artery variations in gastric cancer patients and the impact on gastric cancer surgery, and also to discuss the value of the ultrasonic knife in reducing the risk caused by celiac artery variations. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted to investigate the difference in average operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of harvested lymph nodes, average postoperative drainage within 3 d, and postoperative hospital stay between the group with vascular variations and no vascular variations, and between the ultrasonic harmonic scalpel and conventional electric scalpel surgery group. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-eight cases presented with normal celiac artery, and 80 presented with celiac artery variation (33.61%). The average operation time, blood loss, average drainage within 3 d after surgery in the celiac artery variation group were significantly more than in the no celiac artery variation group (215.7 ± 32.7 min vs 204.2 ± 31.3 min, 220.0 ± 56.7 mL vs 163.1 ± 52.3 mL, 193.6 ± 41.4 mL vs 175.3 ± 34.1 mL, respectively, P < 0.05). In celiac artery variation patients, the average operation time, blood loss, average drainage within 3 d after surgery in the ultrasonic harmonic scalpel group were significantly lower than in the conventional electric scalpel surgery group (209.5 ± 34.9 min vs 226.9 ± 29.4 min, 207.5 ± 57.1 mL vs 235.6 ± 52.9 mL, 184.4 ± 38.2 mL vs 205.0 ± 42.9 mL, respectively, P < 0.05), and the number of lymph node dissections was significantly higher than in the conventional surgery group (25.5 ± 9.2 vs 19.9 ± 7.8, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Celiac artery variation increases the difficulty and risk of radical gastrectomy. Preoperative imaging evaluation and the application of ultrasonic harmonic scalpel are conducive to radical gastrectomy.

Evaluation of clinical efficacy of ultrasonic-harmonic scalpel in open thyroid surgery / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of ultrasonic-harmonic scalpel in open thyroid surgery.Methods Totally 70 patients with thyroid surgery from January 2012 to January 2014 in some hospital were selected as the study objects, who were divided into a control group and an observation group equally. The patients in the control group went through traditional surgery, and the ones in the observation group underwent open thyroid surgery. Then the operative time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay before and after surgery and body stress-related serum markers of two groups were analyzed and compared.Results The observation group had the operative time, blood loss and postoperative hospital stay significantly better than those of the control group, and the body stress-related serum markers 5 days after operation significantly lower than that of the control group, with P<0.05.Conclusion The short-term clinical effect of ultrasonic-harmonic scalpel in open thyroid surgery is significantly better than that of traditional surgery, which has high safety and lower degree of adverse physical stress.

The effect of ultrasonic harmonic scalpel on stress after radical resection of esophageal carcinoma / 中国基层医药

ObjectiveTo explore the effect of ultrasonic harmonic scalpel on stress after radical resction of esophageal carcinoma.MethodsAll 115 patients of esophageal carcinoma undergone radical esophagectomy were analyzed retrospectively.60 patients were performed with ultrasonic harmonic scalpel,the other 55 patients were performed with electrotome.The drainage volume of 72h after operation,postoperative complications and hospital days were analyzed.White blood cell count,Neu,CRP and blood glucose level were tested 2 days after operation.ResultsThere was significant difference in the drainage volume of 72h after operation (P ＜ 0.05 ),but the postoperative complications and hospital days had no obvious difference.White blood cell count,Neu,CRP and blood glucose were obviously increased after operation( all P ＜ 0.05 ) ;the barmonic scalpel group was dramatically decreased as compared with the electrotome group except blood glucose ( all P ＜ 0.05 ).ConclusionRadical resection of esophageal carcinoma using ultrasonic harmonic scalpel appears to decrease the drainage volume of 72h after operation and less the stress.

Application of temporary cardiac pacemaker in perioperative period of laparoscopic cholecystectomy / 中国微创外科杂志

Objective To evaluate the safety of temporary cardiac pacemaker during perioperative period of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in patients with bradyarrhythmia. Methods Temporary cardiac pacemakers were installed preoperatively in 34 elderly patients with bradyarrhythmia for LC. On operation the ultrasonic harmonic scalpel, instead of electrotome, was used to perform dissection and coagulation. Results LC was completed successfully in all the 34 patients without surgery-related complications or perioperative serious cardiovascular diseases. Conclusions Utilization of temporary cardiac pacemaker and ultrasonic harmonic scalpel may considerably enhance the perioperative safety and reduce the incidence of cardiovascular complications in elderly patients with bradyarrhythmia.

Study on the method of electric power detection for ultrasonic harmonic scalpel / 医学研究生学报

Objectives:To establish a method of electric power detection and to evaluate its performance for ultrasonic harmonic scalpel(UHS).Methods:We defined maximum electric power(Pmax),static electric power(Pg) and spare power index(Pi) at first and worked-out reasonable procedure,then we designed available detecting-tools and determined the Pmax,Pg and Pi.Results:We detected 3 sets of UHS from domestic or overseas makers and acquired Pmax,Pg and Pi successfully.The results were stable,reproducible and positively correlated to ultrasonic power.Conclusions:The ultrasonic power of UHS is difficult to detect.By the experiment in this paper,detecting ultrasonic power can be replaced by detecting electric power.

Study on measuring method for amplitude of transducer’s tip in ultrasonic surgical apparatus / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To study the measuring method for amplitude of transducer's tip in ultrasonic surgical apparatus, and design a set of practical detecting system with special data processing technique. Methods The system was consisted of stereomicroscope, CCD camera, etc. The images of amplitude measuring were captured and processed and the result was carried out at last. Results The measurement range for amplitude of transducer’s tip was above 190 ?m, the precision was below 10?m, and the repeatability was also ideal. Conclusion The amplitude measuring method has some excellent characters such as directness, simplicity, easy implementation, error estimableness and controllability, etc. It is proved in practice that the effect is nice and the blank in this field in China is filled.