How LigaSure revolutionized surgery in the operating room?

Often in laparoscopic surgeries, a pathway of blood to a certain body part is needed to be blocked to restrict the flow. For this purpose, multiple vessel sealing systems are available. One of these is the LigaSure vessel sealing device.

 

What is the LigaSure vessel sealing system?

LigaSure is a vessel sealing system, abbreviated as LVSS, which works on the principle of electrosurgery i.e. it converts the electrical energy provided to it into heat which further cooks the tissue thus ultimately sealing it. This collagen welding takes place in a minimum time of 2 to 4 seconds which depicts the efficiency of the device.

LigaSure vessel sealing device

 

 

Characteristics of the LigaSure vessel sealing system

The LigaSure vessel sealing system has superiority over other vessel sealing devices due to the following reasons:

Parameters	LigaSure device (LVSS) specifications
Working principle	The LigaSure device works on the principle of ‘electrosurgery’.
Visibility during surgery	The LigaSure device, as it generates heat and smoke during the process, can impair the visibility of the surgical area.
Operation time (min)	The operation time of the LigaSure device is minimum.
Burst pressure (mm Hg)	The burst pressure of the LigaSure device is between the range of 591 to 836 mm Hg.
Thermal spread	The lateral thermal spread provided by the LigaSure device is 2 mm.
Cost of the surgical procedure (i.e. thyroidectomy)	The cost of a single surgery conducted by employing the LigaSure vessel sealing system is around $2,300 approx.
Post-operative calcium levels (mg/dl)	The postoperative calcium levels in case of surgery conducted by LigaSure device is 8.2 mg/dl.

 

Employment of LigaSure device in the operating room

Advancements in surgical devices have resulted in the development of the latest revolutionary systems, like the LigaSure device, which enables surgeons to perform surgeries more effectively with minimum demerits. Here are some of the merits of the LigaSure device in the operating rooms:

• The LigaSure vessel sealing device has the capability to seal the blood vessels up to 7 mm with the absence of the need to dissect and isolate vessel tissues.
• The LigaSure provides efficient results with little or no tissue sticking and charring.
• The device also ensures that the job is done in a single application.
• As it causes minimal thermal spread, the LigaSure device becomes safer for the tissues nearby the target site.
• The seal produced by the LigaSure device is three times more effective in withstanding systolic blood pressure.
• With the use of the LigaSure device, the need to apply any foreign substance at the surgical site is eliminated thus minimizing the post-operative side effects.

An LVSS is being applied onto a blood vessel

The vessel is being pressed

Collagen is being denatured

The vessel has been sealed

 

Efficacy comparison of LigaSure device with the conventional vessel sealing methods

Over 200 published studies have indicated the superiority of the LigaSure device over the conventional methods of vessel sealing. A statistically significant difference has been observed between the two techniques while their implementation in the operation rooms. It has been reported that the use of the LigaSure vessel sealing device during nephrectomy resulted in the minimum intraoperative blood loss i.e. 100 ml as compared to that after the conventional surgery i.e. 485 ml. Moreover, the mean operative time of the LigaSure device was found to be 68 minutes while that of the conventional device was 164 minutes. These findings clearly manifest the dominance of the LigaSure vessel sealing device over the other means of vessel welding.

 

Applications of LigaSure vessel sealing system

The LigaSure vessel sealing system is employed during multiple surgical procedures where the sealing of a vessel or tissue is required. Some of these surgical procedures are enlisted as follows:

• Endocrine surgeries
• Thyroidectomy i.e. thyroid removal surgery
• Esophageal cancer surgeries
• Thyroid lobectomy i.e. the removal of the thyroid lobes
• Myomectomy i.e. the removal of uterine fibroids
• Colorectal procedures
• Liver resection surgeries
• Hysterectomy i.e. uterus removal surgery
• Angioplasty i.e. vascular system surgery
• pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) i.e. the removal of the blood clots present in the pulmonary vasculature by surgical procedures
• Lymphaticovenous anastomosis i.e. the surgery of the lymphatic vessels
• Anti-reflux surgery
• Surgical removal of piles

 

Advantages of LigaSure vessel sealing system

The LigaSure device provides the following advantages:

• The LigaSure device is safe to use as well as time efficient.
• The length of skin incision needed for conducting the surgery is minimum.
• The thermal spread of the device is minimum.
• The operation time is minimum as compared to that reported with the use of conventional methods.
• The seal produced by the LigaSure device is permanent, precise, and accurate.
• The need for suturing, along with the need for clips and knots, is eliminated once the LigaSure device is in operation.
• Intraoperative, as well as post-operative blood loss, is minimum.
• The postoperative complications are fewer than none.
• The LigaSure device is consistent and reliable with minimum need for instrument replacement.
• The tissue sticking with the jaws of the device is minimum to nearly zero.
• The post-operative discharge time is minimum thus rendering the recovery quick.

 

Conclusion

During laparoscopic procedures, the need to seal certain blood vessels becomes necessary. In this regard, multiple vessel sealing systems are at play. One of these devices is the LigaSure vessel sealing device which seals the tissue within seconds with little to no post-operative side effects. LigaSure device is accurate and efficient in performing its function which results in minimal blood loss both during and after surgery. Thus the LigaSure device has been found to be a reliable and consistent method for conducting electrosurgeries hence revolutionizing medical procedures.