Open Access
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Rev Bras Ortop (Sao Paulo) 2023; 58(05): e706-e711
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1768627
Artigo Original
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Ultrasonic Bone Scalpel versus Conventional Technique for Thoracolumbar Spinal Decompression: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial

Article in several languages: português | English
Chok-anan Rittipoldech
1   Departamento de Ortopedia, Hatyai Hospital, Songkhla, Tailândia
,
Pawat Limsomwong
1   Departamento de Ortopedia, Hatyai Hospital, Songkhla, Tailândia
,
2   Departamento de Anatomia, Faculdade de Medicina, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Tailândia
› Author Affiliations


Financial Support The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of the present manuscript.
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Abstract

Objective The purpose of the present study is to compare intraoperative blood loss, operating time, laminectomy time, hospital length of stay, and complications in thoracolumbar spinal decompression using ultrasonic bone scalpels (UBSs) with conventional procedures.

Methods Forty-two patients who underwent decompressive laminectomy and pedicular screw fusion with a surgical level of 1–5 levels between February 1, 2020, and June 30, 2022, in a single institution were evaluated for eligibility, and 11 were excluded due to a history of spinal surgery (n = 3), spinal tumor (n = 3), and spinal infection (n = 5). A total of 31 patients were randomly divided into the UBS group (n =15) and the conventional group (n =16). Intraoperative blood loss, operating time, laminectomy time, hospital length of stay, and complications were recorded.

Results Intraoperative blood loss and laminectomy time were significantly lower in the UBS group (656.0 ± 167.6 ml, 54.5 ± 27.4 minutes, respectively) than in the conventional group (936.9 ± 413.2 ml, 73.4 ± 28.1 minutes, respectively). Overall operation time, hospital length of stay, and complications were all similar between the groups.

Conclusion The UBS is a useful instrument for procedures performed near the dura mater or other neural tissue without excessive heat or mechanical injury. This device is recommended for various spinal surgeries in addition to high-speed burrs and Kerrison rongeurs.

Work developed in the Department of Orthopedics, Hatyai Hospital, Songkhla, Thailand.




Publication History

Received: 20 July 2022

Accepted: 27 September 2022

Article published online:
30 October 2023

© 2023. Sociedade Brasileira de Ortopedia e Traumatologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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