The histological effect of harmonic scalpel and electrocautery in lung resections. An experimental study in a rat model

PubMed ID: 15041940Aim. In the last decade, ultrasonically activated scalpels (the Harmonic Scalpel, HS) have been developed and used for both open and endoscopic surgical procedures. The present study compares the deepness of lung tissue damage caused by HS and unipolar electrocautery (EC) in rats. Methods. Ten rats were used for the study. Morphological damage on lung parenchyma of the rats was measured with the ocular micrometer in light microscopy. Results. The mean depth of the tissue damage was 0.23±0.08 mm in the HS group, and 0.33±0.10 mm in the EC group. The difference was statistically significant between the 2 groups (p=0.028). Conclusion. HS induces significantly less tissue damage than EC in rat lungs