TECHNICAL NOTES  CARDIAC PAPERS 

The Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery 1998 August;39(4):493-5

Copyright © 2000 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Harmonic scalpel in coronary artery bypass surgery

Tanemoto K., Kanaoka Y., Murakami T., Kuroki K.

From the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Iwakuni National Hospital, Yamaguchi, Japan

We ­used the har­mon­ic scal­pel (an ultra­son­ic ­cutting and coag­u­lat­ing instru­ment) in cor­o­nary ­artery ­bypass sur­gery. The gas­troep­i­plo­ic ­artery was har­vest­ed ­using coag­u­lat­ing ­shears. The oper­at­ing ­time was ­reduced with­out short­en­ing or twist­ing of the ­artery. The ­blade-­type was ­used for hemo­sta­sis ­around the cor­o­nary ­artery and ­also in dis­sect­ing adhe­sion in ­redo sur­gery with­out any arrhyth­mi­as. The ­absence of ­electric cur­rent pass­ing ­through the ­patient con­trib­utes to the safe­ty of the har­mon­ic scal­pel in cor­o­nary ­artery ­bypass sur­gery.