Neutering of dogs and cats using LigaSure device

SUMMARY Background: The most common surgical procedures in small animals are neutering surgeries. Electrosurgical tissue-sealing can reduce blood loss, duration of surgery and anaesthesia, and thereby complication rate.objectives: This study was written to introduce a neutering method using LigaSure tissue-sealing device (Medtronic, Boulder, CO). Tissue-sealing by LigaSure is an acknowledged technique which has been used since 1998 in human surgery. It is different from conventional coagulating systems that can cause uncontrollable heat production and tissue carbonization. LigaSure generates structural changes in collagen in tissues treated resulting in safe and permanent sealing of vessel walls. The LigaSure system detects the impedance of tis-sues treated, applies adequate level of energy and also controls time of delivery. An acoustic signal informs the surgeon when the vessel has been sealed and optional manual division is safe. The sealing system has minimal thermal effect on surrounding tissues.Materials and Methods: In this study 68 dogs and cats have been neutered between 2015 and 2017. 30 animals underwent traditional neutering method using ligatures and 38 animals underwent electrosurgical neutering method using LigaSure device with Small Jaw or Impact handpieces. Duration of procedures, intraoperative bleeding and postoperative complication rates have been evaluated in both groups.Results and Discussion: Tissue-sealing was significantly quicker (p