title: The use of LigaSure in patients with hyperthyroidism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thyroidectomies of hyperthyroidic patients are known to be more blood-spattered than the operations performed for euthyroid nodular diseases and require careful hemostasis. Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of the use of LigaSure in patients with hyperthyroidism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2004 and October 2005, 100 patients underwent total or near-total thyroidectomy. Bipolar vessel ligation system (LigaSure) was the choice of modality for hemostasis in half of these patients, and the conventional suture ligation technique was used for the rest. The following data were evaluated non-randomized and prospectively in this study: patients demographics, thyroid pathology, operative duration, presence of complications, and the duration of the hospital stay. Comparisons of the data were evaluated by the Wilcoxon and chi-square tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the patients of the LigaSure group, 14 patients were detected to have hyperthyroidism (seven patients with Graves' disease and another seven patients with multinodular toxic goiter), while 36 patients were found to be euthyroidic. The durations of the operation time and of the hospital stay of the patients in the LigaSure group were significantly lower than the conventional thyroidectomy group (p<0.05). The complication rates of the LigaSure and conventional thyroidectomy groups were 4 and 6%, respectively (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of LigaSure as an operative technique in the treatment of Graves' disease and toxic goiter is a safe and effective modality that provides a shorter hospital stay and a shorter operation time as well.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Istanbul Medical School, University of Istanbul, 34390 Capa, Istanbul, Turkey. umutbarbaros@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Umut
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Barbaros
authors.forename: Yeşim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Erbil
authors.forename: Alp
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bozbora
authors.forename: Uğur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Deveci
authors.forename: Nihat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aksakal
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dinççağ
authors.forename: Selçuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozarmağan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006980:Hyperthyroidism / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013965:Thyroidectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome