Diathermy versus Conventional scalpel skin incision in modified radical mastectomy; A comparison of outcome
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Modified radical mastectomy is a procedure with increasing incidence in parallel with the advancing diagnostics. The postoperative pain following modified radical mastectomy is troublesome and newer strategies and modalities are being introduced to combat this issue.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
A quasi experimental study was conducted on total of 100 patients at surgical department of Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi undergoing MRM for CA breast. The patients were divided into two equal groups via lottery method. The diathermy skin incision patients were given group A while the surgical scalpel incision were given group B. Postoperative pain was assessed at 6 hours in the postoperative period by VAS. Effect modifiers like age, duration of surgery and side of surgery were controlled by stratification. Poststratification independent sample t test was applied. A p value ≤ 0.05 was considered as significant.
RESULTS:
There was no significant difference between groups in terms of distribution of age, duration of surgery and side involved. The scalpel group had higher mean pain scores at 6 hours in postoperative period i.e. 4.22 ± 1.250 versus 5.10 ± 1.389 for group A and B respectively (p value 0.001).
CONCLUSION:
The electrocautery skin incision is better than steel scalpel incision in term of postoperative pain reduction in patients undergoing MRM for breast cancer.
KEYWORDS:
Adult, Female, Mastectomy, Tissue damage, Electrocautery, Seroma, Tissue damage, Axillary lymph node dissection
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