A single institution experience using the LigaSure vessel sealing system in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for primary spontaneous pneumothorax

This study sought to report our 6-year experience with the LigaSure vessel sealing system（LVSS） in videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery（VATS） for primary spontaneous pneumothorax.A series of 180 consecutive patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax were operated on in our institution from May 2005 to December 2010.Intraoperatively,large lesions（bullae or blebs） with a diameter more than 2 cm were resected by staplers,and the residual lesions were treated by LVSS.LVSS was also used to ablate the apical area when no lesions were found.Conventional apical pleural abrasion was done in all cases.All patients were successfully treated using VATS with minimal perioperative bleeding.The mean operating time was 76 minutes（range,43-160 minutes） for single-side procedures and 169 minutes（range,135-195 minutes） for bilateral procedures,the mean number of applied staples was 1.93 per patient（range,0-8 days）,the duration of drainage was 3.8 days（range,2-15 days）,and the duration of hospital stay was 5.8 days（range,3-16 days）.Postoperative complications included persistent air leak（〉 5 days） in 11 cases（6.1%） and residual pneumothorax in 6（3.3%）.None required reoperation.The mean duration of follow-up was 57 months（range,24-105 months）.Recurrence was seen in three cases（1.7%）,and all underwent another operation thereafter.None of the lesions in the relapse cases received ablation with LVSS in the first operation.LVSS can optimize VATS for primary spontaneous pneumothorax and reduces the use of single-use staples.The method is safe,easy to use,and cost-effective and produces satisfactory results.

Clinical uses of ligasure vessel sealing system (LVSS) in surgery

This article provides the efficacy of the new device, Ligasure Vessel Sealing System（LVSS） for achieving hemostasis. LVSS is an alternative to suture ligatures, hemoclips, staplers, for ligating vessels and tissue bundles. This new device seals the vessels up to 7 mm in diameter by denaturing collagen and elastin within vessel wall and surrounding connective tissue.

A single institution experience using the LigaSure vessel sealing system in laparoscopic nephrectomy

Background Vascular control and tissue dissection are crucial steps in successful laparoscopic surgery. Recently, a new commercially available vessel sealing technology, the LigaSure vessel sealing system （Valleylab, Boulder, USA）,has been introduced. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the benefits of the LigaSure in laparoscopic nephrectomy.Methods From January 2005 to March 2010, 170 laparoscopic nephrectomies were performed with the LigaSure vessel sealing system, including simple and radical nephrectomy and nephroureterectomy. In a retrospective study, the laparoscopic operating time, estimated intraoperative blood loss, duration of postoperative drainage, total amount of postoperative drainage, as well as postoperative hospital stay, were recorded and studied.Results All 170 laparoscopic nephrectomies using LigaSure were accomplished successfully without conversion to open surgery. There was no severe vascular complication or other serious complications. The mean laparoscopic operating time was 124.2 minutes （range, 14-230 minutes）; mean blood loss was 148.6 ml （range, 20-540 ml）; mean time for postoperative drainage was 3.1 days （range, 1-7 days）; mean amount of postoperative drainage was 206.5 ml （range, 27-435 ml） and mean postoperative hospital stay was 6.9 days （range, 3-18 days）.Conclusions Laparoscopic nephrectomy using LigaSure appears technically feasible and easy, and produces satisfactory results. The LigaSure provides a safe and fast way to seal vessels and tissue bundles during nephrectomy.