A Prospective Study on Safety of Bipolar Diathermy in Thyroid Surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Thyroidectomy is one of the commonly performed surgeries with minimal morbidity. With the advent of newer technology, the average surgical duration, postoperative hospital stay and postoperative complication rates have been reduced compared with those a decade ago. This study aimed to determine the safety profile of bipolar cauterisation for haemostatic management and the incidence of postoperative complications in thyroidectomy.

Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. A total of 51 patients aged 18–80 years who underwent thyroidectomy between January 2021 and June 2022 were evaluated and the results analysed.

Results: Of the 51 patients, 26 underwent total thyroidectomy, 8 near-total thyroidectomy and 17 hemithyroidectomy. The average operative duration was 39.5 minutes for hemithyroidectomy and 69.3 minutes for total thyroidectomy. Average blood loss was 15 ml and 24 ml, respectively. The average postoperative drain volume was 18.3 ml in the hemithyroidectomy group and approximately 30 ml in the near-total and total thyroidectomy groups. Most drains were removed by postoperative day two. No statistically significant difference was found between operative duration and postoperative complications.

Conclusion: The use of bipolar thermal devices provides a cost-effective method for achieving haemostasis of the thyroid pedicle. It is a promising alternative to standard ligature techniques, reducing operative time and thereby decreasing perioperative and postoperative morbidity and mortality.