A comparative analytical study of cutting diathermy versus scalpel incision in elective surgeries in surgical department s in tertiary healthcare institute

Introduction: Cauterization is a medical term describing burning of body to remove or close a part of it. Electrocauterization or electrocautery is routinely used in surgery to remove unwanted or harmful tissue, i.e., tissue dissection, burn and seal blood vessels, and to create a surgical incision. It is also used increasingly to reduce or stop bleeding. The present study compared cutting diathermy and scalpel incisions in patients with variety of general surgery procedures with respect to the incision time, blood loss, the safety of diathermy the procedure.
Materials and methods: This present analytical study was conducted inthe Department of Surgery, KIMS, Karad, Maharashtra, between March 2018 and August 2018 after an approval from institutional ethics committee among 100 cases undergoing elective operative procedures. Total 100 patients who consented to participate in the study were enrolled in the present study. Using randomisation technique, patients were divided into two groups A (Scalpel group) and B (cutting diathermy group).
Results: In the present study, in group A, there were 54% males and 48% female subjects while in group B, there were 52% male cases and 48% female cases. The mean age of patients in scalpel group is 42.2 ± 11.4 and indiathermy group is 38.4 ± 11.2.In the scalpel group; the mean incision time was relatively greater as compared to diathermy group (3.6 ±0.91 Vs 2.3±0.76 min) and the mean incision blood loss was significantly more among scalpel group as compared to diathermy group (19.17±4.73 Vs 8.51±2.82 ml). Conclusions: The present study concludes that the use of diathermy for skin incisions in our study subjects is associated with reduced incisional blood loss, incisionaltime, and hence better efficacy.