title: Neck dissection with harmonic scalpel and electrocautery? A randomised study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Is the use of harmonic scalpel for neck dissection useful? Literature search did not show a single, prospective, randomised control trial. We intended to study the role of harmonic scalpel in neck dissection and compare it with conventional electrocautery technique for oral cavity carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 patients undergoing selective neck dissection for primary oral cavity malignancy were enrolled in this study. The harmonic scalpel (HS) group consisted of 20 patients, and the electrocautery technique (ET) group comprised of 20 patients. The following variables were examined: intraoperative blood loss, operative time, number of ligatures used, postoperative drain, and postoperative hospital stay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intraoperative blood loss was found to be significantly reduced in harmonic scalpel group as compared to electrocautery group. However, we found no difference in other parameters like operative time, postop drain, postoperative hospital stay and number of ligatures used between both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Harmonic scalpel for neck dissection is associated with significantly lesser intraoperative blood loss as compared to electrocautery. There is no effect on operative time and postoperative hospital stay in both groups.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India. Electronic address: roshanverma@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Roshan K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.
authors.forename: Arulalan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mathiazhagan
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 160012, India.
authors.forename: Naresh K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Panda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology; D004564:Electrocoagulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D037981:Neck Dissection / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D061646:Operative Time; D011446:Prospective Studies; D059708:Ultrasonic Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*
keywords: Harmonic scalpel; Intraoperative blood loss; Modified neck dissection; Operative time; Oral squamous cell carcinoma; Postoperative hospital stay; Randomised clinical trial