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A randomized phase II study of the clinical effects of ultrasonically activated coagulating shears (Harmonic scalpel) in open gastrectomy for gastric cancer

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Abstract

Purpose

The Harmonic Ace ultrasonic scalpel has been popular in abdominal surgery; however, only a few clinical studies have evaluated the efficacy of this device in radical open gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Methods

The present study was designed as a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Patients with resectable gastric cancer were randomly assigned to gastrectomy using the Harmonic scalpel or conventional monopolar electrosurgery.

Results

A total of 248 patients were enrolled, and 123 patients were included in the Harmonic group and 114 patients were included in the conventional group. The demographics of the patients were well balanced between the groups. There was no significant difference in the length of the operation from skin incision to resection of the gastric specimen (141 ± 36 min in the Harmonic group vs. 147 ± 13 min in the conventional group; p = 0.276) nor in the amount of blood lost (365 ± 293 vs. 336 ± 272 mL; p = 0.434). There was also no significant difference in the incidence of surgical complications or the post-surgical hospital stay between the groups.

Conclusion

The Harmonic scalpel procedure was not superior to the conventional monopolar electrosurgery with regard to reducing the length of the operation, blood loss, postoperative complications, or postoperative hospital stay in radical open gastrectomy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Osaka Rosai Hospital, Osaka, Japan

    Ryohei Kawabata

  2. Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan

    Shuji Takiguchi, Shinichi Fujiwara, Yukinori Kurokawa, Masaki Mori & Yuichiro Doki

  3. Department of Surgery, Sakai City Hospital, Osaka, Japan

    Ryohei Kawabata & Yutaka Kimura

  4. Department of Surgery, Toyonaka Municipal Hospital, Osaka, Japan

    Hiroshi Imamura

  5. NTT West Osaka Hospital, Osaka, Japan

    Junya Fujita

  6. Department of Surgery, Kansai Rosai Hospital, Hyogo, Japan

    Shigeyuki Tamura

  7. Department of Surgery, Osaka General Medical Center, Osaka, Japan

    Kazumasa Fujitani

  8. Department of Surgery, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, Osaka, Japan

    Kentaro Kishi

  9. Department of Surgery, Osaka National Hospital, Osaka, Japan

    Kazuyoshi Yamamoto

Authors
  1. Ryohei Kawabata
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  2. Shuji Takiguchi
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  3. Yutaka Kimura
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  4. Hiroshi Imamura
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  5. Junya Fujita
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  6. Shigeyuki Tamura
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  7. Kazumasa Fujitani
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  8. Kentaro Kishi
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  9. Kazuyoshi Yamamoto
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  10. Shinichi Fujiwara
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  11. Yukinori Kurokawa
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  12. Masaki Mori
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  13. Yuichiro Doki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shuji Takiguchi.

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Conflict of interest

Ryohei Kawabata, Shuji Takiguchi, Yutaka Kimura, Hiroshi Imamura, Junya Fujita, Shigeyuki Tamura, Kazumasa Fujitaki, Kentaro Kishi, Kazuyoshi Yamamoto, Shinichi Fujiwara, Yukinori Kurokawa, Masaki Mori and Yuichiro Doki have no conflicts of interest to declare in association with this study.

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Kawabata, R., Takiguchi, S., Kimura, Y. et al. A randomized phase II study of the clinical effects of ultrasonically activated coagulating shears (Harmonic scalpel) in open gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Surg Today 46, 561–568 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-015-1213-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-015-1213-4

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