Harmonic scalpel compared to bipolar coagulation for thyroidectomy

Abstract

Summary Introduction. The basic principles of high-efficient and safe thyroid surgery were established by 1920: identification and ligation of vessels, identification and preservation of laryngeal nerves, and parathyroid glands. Bleeding remains one of the major intraoperative complications of thyroid surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the benefits of the Harmonic when compared with bipolar coagulation for open thyroidectomy. Materials and methods: We enrolled 85 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for multinodular disease from 2019 till 2022 years. Patients were randomly assigned to either the group 1 (43 patients in which the operation was performed entirely using the Harmonic scalpel (HS) and no other haemostatic tool) or the group 2 (42 patients in which the operation was performed using classic technique of resorbable ligature, bipolar coagulation). The inclusion criteria were scheduled total thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter. Results. There were no significant differences between two groups regarding age, gender, ASA distribution, so two groups are comparable. The mean operating time in the group 1 was 62.84±0.66 (M±m) minutes, and that in the group 2 was 75.19±0.42 (M±m) minutes for thyroidectomy, and there was 19.65 % (i. e. 12.35 minutes) statistically significant reduction in the operating time using the Harmonic scalpel device (p<0.05). The 48 hours mean total amount of drainage was 69.05±0.88 (M±m) ml for group 1 and 81.40±0.64 (M±m) ml for group 2, which was statistically significant (p<0.05). The rate of postoperative complications was comparable among the two groups (pχ2>0,05). Conclusions. The use of Harmonic scalpel in thyroid surgery is safe and effective and is associated with a significant reduction in operative time without increasing complications rate, may also permit a better view of structures to preserve nerves, vessels of parathyroid glands and parathyroid glands when operating. Other benefits include significantly lower blood loss, efficient hemostasis and sectioning in a single instrument.