Ultrasonically activated shears in gastrectomy for large gastric cancers.

Purpose: High-frequency ultrasound energy was introduced in gastrointestinal surgery to improve dissection and coagulation. We assessed the safety and efficacy of ultrasonic dissection compared with standard electrosurgery in gastrectomy for large gastric cancers, which is associated with high morbidity.

Methods: The subjects of this retrospective study were 52 patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancers, > or =7 cm in diameter. Gastrectomy was performed with ultrasonically activated shears (UAS) between January 2005 and June 2006 (UAS group, n = 26) and with standard electrosurgery between July 2003 and December 2004 (control group, n = 26). We compared morbidity, operating time, and intraoperative blood loss between the two groups.

Results: The mean operating time and intraoperative blood loss were significantly lower in the UAS group than in the control group. Morbidity in the UAS group was also lower, but the difference was not significant.

Conclusion: Our findings showed that UAS gastrectomy was safe, with significantly shorter operating times and less intraoperative blood loss than standard electrosurgery.