title: Utility of bipolar electrocautery scissors for cervical conization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the usefulness of bipolar electrocautery scissors for cervical conization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients with severe dysplasia/in situ carcinoma of the uterine cervix underwent cervical conization: 20 randomly selected patients were operated on with the unipolar energy scalpel and the other 20 were operated on with bipolar electrocautery scissors. In both groups operating time, number of ligations, blood loss, duration of recovery, perioperative complications and adequacy of the margins of the lesion were assessed. Data were compared by analysis of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the bipolar group the average operating time and duration of recovery were significantly reduced (halved), no ligations were needed and the amount of blood loss was significantly reduced. Regarding perioperative complications, in the bipolar group there were no hemorrhages nor need of a second operation or transfusion. Infections did not occur in either group. We found no difference between the two groups regarding adequacy of the margins of the lesion for a good pathologic examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bipolar electrocautery scissors were safe and useful in cervical conization by reducing the operating time and blood loss without increasing postoperative morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, University of Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Cherchi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Capobianco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ambrosini
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Fadda
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Piga
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Canetto
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rubattu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dessole
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000601:surgery*; D019092:Conization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*