A Prospective, Randomized Study between the Small Jaw® and the Harmonic Focus® in Open Thyroidectomy

Abstract

Objectives LigaSure Small Jaw® (LSJ) was recently developed and applied to thyroid surgery along with Harmonic Focus® (HF). We compared the 2 devices in open total thyroidectomy for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Study Design A prospective, randomized study. Setting Tertiary care center. Methods This prospective, randomized study included 126 patients enrolled between December 2011 and June 2012. The numbers of patients in the LSJ group and the HF group were 64 and 62, respectively. Operative times, drain output, parathyroid status, complications, laboratory data, hospital stay, and analgesia requirements were analyzed. Results Operation time, parathyroid status, postoperative complications including hypocalcemia, oral calcium supplement, calcium, parathyroid hormone, usage count of painkiller, and hospital stay were not different among the 2 groups. Ionized calcium on postoperative days 1, 2, and 10 was higher in the LSJ group ( P = .04, P = .04, P = .01), and drain output was lower in the LSJ group (106.8 vs 123.6 mL, P = .01). Conclusions Open thyroidectomy for PTC using the HF or the LSJ was safe and effective and was not associated with any increase in complications. Surgical outcomes and operative morbidity were equivalent between the 2 groups.