Electrothermal Vessel Sealing Versus Conventional Suturing in Abdominal Hysterectomy: A Randomised Trial.

INTRODUCTION: The present randomised controlled trial was conducted to compare haemostatic efficiency, operative time, and overall performance of the electrothermal bipolar vessel sealing (EBVS) system with conventional suturing in abdominal hysterectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The trial was designed with standard parallel arms, i.e., vessel sealing and suture ligature arms. Sixty patients were block randomised into either arms with 30 patients in each. A hand-held vessel sealing instrument was used to perform a hysterectomy in the vessel sealing arm and the quality of the uterine artery seal achieved at the first attempt was graded on an ordinal scale of 1-3 to quantify haemostatic efficiency. Operative time, intra-operative blood loss, and peri-operative complications were compared between the two arms. RESULTS: Significantly reduced mean operative time (26.97±8.92 vs 33.67±8.62 minutes; p=0.005) and intra-operative blood loss (111±53.31 mL vs 320±193.90 mL; p=0.001) was observed in the Vessel Sealing Arm compared to Suture Ligature Arm. Of total 60 uterine seals (from bilateral uterine artery transaction in 30 hysterectomies in the Vessel Sealing Arm), 83.34% were Level 1 with Complete Seal and no residual bleeding, 8.33% were Level 2 or Partial Seals with minimal bleeding, requiring the use of vessel sealers for a second time, while 8.33% had Seal Failure (Level 3) with significant bleeding requiring additional re-security of stumps with sutures. Modal pain scores on the first three postoperative days and duration of hospital stay were significantly less in the Vessel Sealer Arm, reflecting reduced postoperative morbidity. Outcomes were comparable across operators. CONCLUSION: Vessel Sealing System gives superior surgical results with lesser operative time, minimal blood loss, and reduced morbidity.

Pregnancy After Cardiac Surgery.

Heart disease is one of the common, indirect obstetric causes of maternal death. Management of these cases may challenge the entire team providing care to the mother and fetus. Advances in cardiac surgery has improved quality of life and level of functioning of cardiovascular system of patients with congenital or acquired heart disease. These diseases complicate 0.1-4 % pregnancies. Maternal complications in the form of thromboembolic, hemorrhagic episode and heart failure may occur. The fetus is in danger of effects of oral anticoagulation therapy and other medications given to the patient in order to support cardiovascular system, intrauterine growth restriction and danger of hypoxia. In recent era, we are facing more pregnant patients with previous history of surgical correction of congenital or rheumatic heart disease. In this review, we have attempted to draw a management protocol of such patients based on the available literature and various international guidelines. In pregnant women with mechanical heart valves, recent data support warfarin use throughout pregnancy, followed by a switch to heparin and planned induction of labor. However, the complexity of this situation demands a cafeteria approach where the patient herself can choose from the available options that are supported by evidence-based information. Preconception counseling, evaluation and antenatal high-risk management protocol with the help of cardiologist and cardiac surgeon improves maternal and neonatal outcome.