LigaSure versus clamp-and-tie thyroidectomy for benign nodular disease.

Background: LigaSure is an alternative bipolar diathermy system (BDS) combining vessel sealing with reduced thermal spread, which has been successfully used in many abdominal operations; however, there is a little experience in open thyroidectomy. This study compares the efficacy and the advantages of the LigaSure BDS when used for total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid disease with the conventional clamp-and-tie technique.

Methods: Between May 1998 and October 2002, 517 patients underwent total thyroidectomy for benign thyroid multinodular goiter.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for thoracic empyema: primarily, or after fibrinolytic therapy failure?

Background: Traditional and modern treatments are proposed for thoracic empyema. The efficacy of video-assisted thocoscopic surgery (VATS) has been studied when the method is applied either as primary treatment for thoracic empyema or after the failure of fibrinolytic therapy.

Methods: Thirty-eight patients treated with VATS for thoracic empyema have been reviewed.