Table 2.
Operative and postoperative data in HS (Harmonic Scalpel) and CH (Conventional Hemostasis) groups.
| HS group (n = 50) | CH group (n = 50) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operative time (mean ± SD) (range), min | 44.9 ± 8.3 | 69.5 ± 10.7 | P < .001 |
| Postoperative drainage at 24 h (mean ± SD) (range), mL | 37.4 ± 2.4 | 56.1 ± 4.2 | P < .001 |
| Hospital stay (mean ± SD), days | 2.2 ± 0.9 | 3.7 ± 1.3 | P > .05, NS |
| Thyroid weight (mean ± SD) (range), grams | 44.8 ± 19.7 | 51.1 ± 15.8 | P > .05, NS |
|
| |||
| Postoperative pain | |||
| VAS at 24 h | 3.89 ± 1.07 | 5.82 ± 1.43 | P < .001 |
| VAS at 48 h | 1.99 ± 0.97 | 3.69 ± 1.36 | P < .001 |
| VRS at 24 h | 1.81 ± 0.75 | 2.15 ± 0.84 | P < .001 |
| VRS at 48 h | 1.06 ± 0.78 | 1.74 ± 0.62 | P < .001 |
|
| |||
| Postoperative complications | |||
| Transient hypocalcemia | 7 | 21 | P < .01 |
| Definitive hypoparathyroidism | 0 | 0 | NS |
| Transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury | 0 | 2 | NS |
| Permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy | 0 | 0 | NS |
SD: standard deviation; NS: not significant; VAS: visual analogic scale; VRS: verbal response scale.