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World J Gastroenterol. Jul 7, 2006; 12(25): 4082-4085
Published online Jul 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i25.4082
Experimental and clinical study of influence of high-frequency electric surgical knives on healing of abdominal incision
Guang-Wei Ji, Yuan-Zhi Wu, Xu Wang, Hua-Xiong Pan, Ping Li, Wan-Ying Du, Zhi Qi, An Huang, Li-Wei Zhang, Li Zhang, Wen Chen, Guang-Hua Liu, Hui Xu, Quan Li, Ai-Hua Yuan, Xiao-Ping He, Guo-Hua Mei
Guang-Wei Ji, Yuan-Zhi Wu, Xu Wang, Wan-Ying Du, Zhi Qi, An Huang, Li-Wei Zhang, Wen Chen, Guang-Hua Liu, Hui Xu, Quan Li, Ai-Hua Yuan, Xiao-Ping He, Department of General Surgery, 2nd Hospital of Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation, Wuhan 430085, Hubei Province, China
Hua-Xiong Pan, Li Zhang, Department of Pathology, 2nd Hospital of Wuhan Iron and Steel Co, Wuhan 430085, Hubei Province, China
Ping Li, Guo-Hua Mei, Department of Laboratory, 2nd Hospital of Wuhan Iron and Steel Co, Wuhan 430085, Hubei Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Guang-Wei Ji, Department of General Surgery, 2nd Hospital of Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation, Wuhan 430085, Hubei Province, China. dr.jgw@163.com
Telephone: +86-27-86213025
Received: July 25, 2005
Revised: August 15, 2005
Accepted: August 20, 2005
Published online: July 7, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To study the influence of high-frequency electric surgical knives on healing of abdominal incision.

METHODS: Two hundred and forty white rats were divided into 100, 102, 105, and 108 groups and rat models of abdominal operation were induced by using electric surgical knives and common lancets respectively. Then they were respectively given hypodermic injections of normal saline and 0.2 mL quantitative mixture of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa at a concentration of 102, 105 and 108. On the basis of the animal experiment, 220 patients undergoing abdominal operations (above type II) were randomly allocated into one of following three groups: electric knife (EK, 93 cases), electro-coagulation (EC, 55 cases) and control (72 cases). High-frequency electric surgical knives were used to dissect abdominal tissues and electro-coagulation for hemostasis in EK group. Common lancets and electro-coagulation were applied in EC group. Common lancets and tieing silk suture were used in the controls.

RESULTS: In all the groups except group 100, infection rate of incisional wounds made by electric surgical knives were remarkably higher than that with common lancets. Furthermore, there were significant differences in groups 102, 105, and 108 (P < 0.05), but not in group 100 (P > 0.05) between EK and EC groups. Clinical studies showed a delayed wound healing in 16 cases (17.20%) in EK, 11 cases (16.36%) in EC and 2 cases (2.86%) in the control groups. A significant difference between EK and the control groups (χ2 = 8.57, P < 0.01), and between EC and the control groups (χ2 = 5.66, P < 0.05) was observed, but not between EK and EC (χ2 = 0.017, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: High-frequency electric knives may remarkably delay abdominal incision healing. Its application should be minimized so as to reduce the possibility of postoperative complications.

Keywords: High-frequency electric surgical knives; Abdominal incision; Healing; Infection