Efficiency of electrical welding of soft tissues during thyroid gland operations

Abstract

Annotation. The purpose of the study was to study the results of using electro welding of tissues during operations on the thyroid gland in benign (nodular and multinodular goiter) and malignant (differentiated carcinoma) pathological conditions. Electric welding was ensured due to the formation of coagulum between the branches of the clamp during the action of short-duration pulses of radio frequency (440 kHz) current with a maximum power of 300 W when using a device manufactured in Ukraine by LLC “Swarmed” with the patented technology “Biowelding TM”. The results of surgical treatment of 183 patients who underwent hemi thyroidectomy (8.7%), thyroidectomy (61.2%), and thyroidectomy with dissection of the 6th collector of the neck (30%) for nodular goiter, multinodular goiter, and differentiated thyroid carcinoma, respectively, were analyzed. The use of electric welding made it possible to reduce skin incisions on the neck during surgical access (the average length of the incision was 3.77±0.02 cm). Unilateral temporary paresis of the larynx was recorded in 2 (1.1%) patients, temporary hypoparathyroidism in 3 (1.6%) patients. Bleeding, neck hematomas and wound seroma did not occur in the postoperative period. Electric welding provides reliable hemostasis, which allows you to avoid the use of other means for ligation of vessels (threads, metal clips). The average length of stay of patients in the hospital was 1.1±0.01 days.