Comparison of the ultrasonic scalpel to CO₂ laser in cervical conization

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of CO₂ laser with that of ultrasonic scalpel in cervical conization in terms of intraoperative and postoperative outcome. One-hundred and two patients were submitted to cervical conization by ultrasonically activated scalpel, while 97 patients were submitted to cervical conization by use of CO₂ laser. Comparison of mean estimated blood loss, mean operative time and mean cone volume between the two groups was performed with Student t test. Postoperative complications were compared by x² test. There was no statistical significance regarding the mean operating time, mean blood loss, mean cone volume and postoperative complications in the two methods. However, thermal artifacts at the cone margins were minimal in the harmonic group (2/102 cones, 1.96%), while in the laser group they were considerably more (18/97 cones, 18.5%) (p < 0.05). Conization using the harmonic scalpel is as safe and effective as the CO₂ laser procedure. It is cheaper, produces less smoke, better visual field and less thermal artifacts in the cone margins. It is a reliable method that overcomes most problems associated with the CO₂ laser, as well as the other conventional conization procedures.

Key words::

• Cervical conization
• CO₂ laser
• ultrasonic scalpel
• postoperative complications

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.