A comparative study between bipolar cuttery and conventional suture ligation for hemostasis in total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease

Background: Over the last years many surgeons have begun to use energy based devices to perform thyroid surgery, several literatures have demonstrated the benefits of these devices over traditional techniques, they can provide a combined dissection and hemostatic effect and particularly advantageous in reduction of incision length, operative time, operative blood loss and complications. Aim of study: Compare bipolar cautery to traditional suture ligation in hemostasis during complete thyroidectomy in nerve damage, operating time, hypocalcemia, post-operative blood loss and hematoma development, and hospital stay. Patients and Method: In this study 61 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy, they were divided into two groups according to the type of hemostasis: bipolar cautery hemostasis group and conventional suture ligation hemostasis group, different diseases were included (multinodular goiter, solitary thyroid nodule), these groups were compared in regard to operative time, complications and length of hospital stay. Results: The bipolar cautery hemostasis group had a shorter operation time (67.36±9.77 min) and a lower post-operative blood loss (55.78±14.45 ml) than the conventional suture ligation group (91.09±27.37 ml). Other outcomes included post-operative hematoma formation, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and post-operative hypoxia. Conclusion: Using bipolar cautery device in total thyroidectomy reduced the operative time and post-operative blood loss, without any change in the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, post-operative hypocalcemia, hematoma formation, and the length of hospital stay.