Comparison of electrocautery and LigaSure™ vessel sealing system in radial artery harvesting as coronary artery bypass surgery conduit: A prospective, randomized study

Corresponding author: Beril Okur, MD. Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar Üniversitesi Kalp ve Damar Cerrahisi Anabilim Dalı, 34684 Ataşehir, İstanbul, Türkiye. Tel: +90 539 761 80 82 e-mail: berilokur@hotmail.com ABSTRACT Objectives: In this study, we aimed to compare the efficiency of electrocautery with the LigaSureTM vessel sealing system. Patients and methods: This randomized study included a total of 53 patients (44 males, 9 females; mean age: 63.7±8.4 years; range, 39 to 83 years) who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for radial artery (RA) harvesting with electrocautery or LigaSureTM vessel sealing system between January 2019 and September 2019. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 27 patients operated with the LigaSureTM small jaw sealer/divider and Group 2 consisted of 26 patients operated with electrocautery. The length of the conduit, the amount of intraoperative blood loss, the number of hemostatic clips before and after the anastomosis, the amount of postoperative blood loss, the number of ecchymoses, hematoma and infection are compared. Results: The amount of blood loss from the beginning of harvesting to the end of the closure of the skin of left arm was significantly lower in Group 1 (p=0.004). The difference in the number of hemostatic clips before and after the anastomosis of RA to coronary artery was statistically significantly lower in Group 1 (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in the amount of blood loss postoperatively (p>0.6), number of ecchymoses (p>0.1), and postoperative hematoma (p>0.1) and infection (p>0.03) between the groups. Conclusion: Our study results suggest that the LigaSureTM vessel sealing system is a better option of RA harvesting, particularly in patients who are prone to bleed.