Efficiency and safety of bipolar vessel and tissue sealing in visceral surgery.

Overhaus, Marcus; Schaefer, Nico; Walgenbach, Klaus; Hirner, Andreas; Szyrach, Mara Natascha; Tolba, René Hany

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to analyze the efficiency and safety of the bipolar tissue/vessel sealing and cutting device EnSeal(™) in comparison to the conventional clamp and ligation technique in visceral surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS In an acute animal model, a part of the small bowel, a part of the colon and the kidneys were resected either with the conventional clamp and ligation technique or with EnSeal(™). Operation time, blood loss and blood parameters as well as the lateral thermal spread were evaluated. RESULTS Small bowel, colon and kidney resection time with the EnSeal(™) device was shorter compared to the conventional clamp and ligation technique (small bowel: EnSeal(™): 4.7 ± 1.0 min vs. con: 35.1 ± 2.3 min; colon: EnSeal(™): 7.0 ± 1.4 min vs. con: 16.3 ± 1.5 min, kidney: EnSeal(™): 5.7 ± 1.3 min vs. con: 16.7 ± 3.7 min, p < 0.05) and blood loss was significantly lower. Blood analysis demonstrated no differences in both groups. The lateral thermal spread was not more than 1 mm with EnSeal(™). CONCLUSION The bipolar sealing in visceral surgery with EnSeal(™) can be performed more efficiently in a shorter time, with significantly less blood loss, minimal thermal damage and without changes of blood parameters, indicating biological safety and integrity.