Efficacy and safety of LigaSure™ small jaw instrument in thyroidectomy: a 1-year prospective observational study.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and safety profiles of LigaSure™ small jaw instrument (LSJI) versus conventional technique in patients undergoing open thyroidectomy.

METHODS: This single-center, prospective, observational study conducted in Zhejiang Provincial Cancer Hospital enrolled patients who underwent thyroidectomy between September 2013 and September 2014. The primary study outcomes included determination of blood loss, operative duration, length of hospital stay, and drainage volume. The secondary outcomes included evaluation of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, postoperative bleeding, and hypoparathyroidism.

RESULTS: A total of 842 patients undergoing thyroidectomy either with conventional method (n = 440) or with LSJI (n = 402) were enrolled. A significantly reduced operative time and intraoperative blood loss were noted in the LSJI group (p < .001) compared with the conventional group. Further, the LSJI group also demonstrated a significantly lower postoperative drainage (p < .05) compared with the conventional group. Length of hospital stay and incidence of postoperative complications were similar in both the LSJI and conventional groups.

CONCLUSION: LigaSure hemostasis in thyroidectomy appears to result in significantly reduced operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative drainage compared with the conventional method in Chinese patients.