A Comparative Study between Electrocautery and Steel Scalpel in Making Abdominal Skin Incisions

Abstract

Background: Electrocautery is commonly used in surgical practice. However its use has been limited in skin due to the fear of tissue scarring, impaired wound healing and wound infection due to damaged tissue. Objectives: To evaluate and compare the use of electrocautery and steel scalpel in making abdominal skin incisions with regard to operating time, postoperative wound complication rate and the duration of hospital stay. Materials and Methods: The study was a prospective randomized type conducted in the Department of Surgery, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal. 100 patients undergoing open cholecystectomy were divided into two groups, scalpel group in which skin incision was made with steel scalpel, and cautery group with electrocautery. Comparison was made between the two groups based on the above objectives. Results: In this study, we find that the operating time, rates of wound complication and the duration of hospital stay were comparable between the two groups. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that electrocautery can be used as an alternative to steel scalpel for making abdominal skin incisions.