title: Using NU-KNIT® for hemostasis around recurrent laryngeal nerve during transthoracic esophagectomy with lymphadenectomy for esophageal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We thought that using electrocautery for hemostasis caused recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy. We reflected the prolonged use of electrocautery and employed NU-KNIT® to achieve hemostasis nearby the recurrent laryngeal nerve. We assessed that using NU-KNIT® hemostasis prevented or not postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, retrospectively. The present study was evaluated to compare using electrocautery hemostasis with using NU-KNIT® hemostasis during lymphadenectomy along recurrent laryngeal nerve. The variables compared were morbidity rate of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, operation time, and blood loss.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We use NU-KNIT® to achieve hemostasis without strong compression. This group is named group N. On the other hand, we use electrocautery to achieve hemostasis. This group is named group E. Complication rate of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy was higher in group E (55.6%) than group N (5.3%) (p = 0.007).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even hemostasis using NU-KNIT® was slightly more time-consuming than using electrocautery, we concluded that it would be useful to prevent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan. rino@med.yokohama-cu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rino
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yukawa
authors.forename: Tsutomu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Naoto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamagawa
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oshima
authors.forename: Takaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshikawa
authors.forename: Munetaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imada
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D016629:Esophagectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D012009:Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014826:Vocal Cord Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology