VIO soft-coagulation system for major pulmonary resections: results in 68 patients with primary lung cancer

• Published in: General thoracic and cardiovascular surgery Vol. 59; no. 3; pp. 175 - 178
• Main Authors: Uchiyama, Akihiko, Miyoshi, Kei, Nakamura, Katsuya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Springer Japan 01.03.2011; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Blood Loss, Surgical - prevention & control; Cardiac Surgery; Cardiology; Dissection; Electrocoagulation - adverse effects; Electrocoagulation - instrumentation; Equipment Design; Feasibility Studies; Female; Humans; Japan; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - surgery; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Article; Pneumonectomy - adverse effects; Pneumonectomy - instrumentation; Postoperative Hemorrhage - etiology; Postoperative Hemorrhage - prevention & control; Retrospective Studies; Surgical Oncology; Thoracic Surgery; Treatment Outcome; Japan; VIO soft coagulation; Lung cancer
• ISSN: 1863-6705; 1863-6713
• DOI: 10.1007/s11748-010-0709-5

Purpose The VIO soft-coagulation system is a new device for tissue coagulation in which the output voltage is automatically regulated. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of this system for major pulmonary resection of lung cancer. Methods We used bipolar VIO soft-coagulation for major pulmonary resection in 68 patients with primary lung cancer using the following three surgical procedures: (1) coagulation of the tissues around lobar vessels and bronchus; (2) fissure dissection; (3) lymph node dissection. The dissection in those steps was performed with both bipolar VIO soft-coagulation forceps and scissors. Results were analyzed with special reference to intraoperative complications, blood loss, and postoperative morbidity. The data in this study (VIO group) were compared with those of 78 lung cancer patients who underwent surgery using conventional electrocautery (CE group). Results The operations in this series included 60 lobectomies, 1 bilobectomy, 1 pneumonectomy, and 6 segmentectomies. With the VIO soft-coagulation system, coagulation of tissues around the lobar pulmonary vessels without injury to the pulmonary vessels or bronchus was effective. The mean blood loss in the VIO group was 90.6 g (range 5–595 g), which was significantly lower than that in the CE group (mean 141.0 g, range 5–700 g) ( P = 0.014). Postoperative morbidity rates in the VIO and the CE group were 11.7% and 17.9%, respectively. Conclusion The VIO soft-coagulation system is safe and feasible for major pulmonary resections in patients with lung cancer.