title: The histological effect of harmonic scalpel and electrocautery in lung resections. An experimental study in a rat model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the last decade, ultrasonically activated scalpels (the Harmonic Scalpel, HS) have been developed and used for both open and endoscopic surgical procedures. The present study compares the deepness of lung tissue damage caused by HS and unipolar electrocautery (EC) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten rats were used for the study. Morphological damage on lung parenchyma of the rats was measured with the ocular micrometer in light microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean depth of the tissue damage was 0.23+/-0.08 mm in the HS group, and 0.33+/-0.10 mm in the EC group. The difference was statistically significant between the 2 groups (p=0.028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HS induces significantly less tissue damage than EC in rat lungs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Ege University School of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey. alpcakan@gohip.com
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cakan
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Cagirici
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cikirikcioglu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Posacioglu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Veral
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001706:Biopsy; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004564:Electrocoagulation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D055370:Lung Injury; D008297:Male; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D009336:Necrosis; D018579:Patient Selection; D011013:Pneumonectomy / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D012307:Risk Factors; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods