Energy-based devices versus conventional ligation in thyroid surgery: operative efficiency and postoperative outcomes

Year 2026, Volume: 9 Issue: 2 , 287 - 292 , 12.03.2026

Fırat Canlıkarakaya , Bedri Burak Sucu , Sezai Kantar , Sabiha Nur Özmen , Hüseyin Turap , Cengiz Ceylan

https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1848683

https://izlik.org/JA34ZK88TB

Abstract

Aims: This study aimed to compare the operative efficiency and postoperative outcomes of thyroidectomy procedures performed using energy-based devices (EBDs) versus conventional ligation techniques.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 443 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy between January 2019 and August 2025. Patients were divided into two groups: those operated with EBDs (n=162) and those with conventional ligation (n=281). Demographic data, operative time, drain removal time, length of hospital stay, postoperative calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels, hypocalcemia incidence, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and histopathological findings were evaluated. Statistical analyses were performed using non-parametric tests, with p<0.05 considered significant.
Results: The median operative time was significantly shorter in the EBD group compared to the ligation group (55 vs. 60 minutes, p<0.001). However, both the drain removal time and hospital stay were significantly shorter in the ligation group (p<0.001 for both). There were no significant differences between groups regarding postoperative calcium and PTH levels (p=0.144 and p=0.123, respectively). The incidence of transient or permanent hypocalcemia and postoperative hoarseness was comparable between the two groups. Histopathological distribution differed significantly (p=0.017), with a higher rate of papillary thyroid carcinoma in the EBD group.
Conclusion: EBDs are associated with a statistically shorter operative time in thyroidectomy without increasing complication rates compared to conventional ligation. However, the shorter drain removal and hospitalization durations in the ligation group indicate that the use of EBDs does not necessarily improve all clinical parameters. Further studies focusing on device-specific performance, standardized application parameters, and cost-effectiveness may help to better define the optimal use of EBDs in routine clinical practice.

Keywords

Energy-based devices (EBDs) , thyroidectomy , conventional ligation techniques

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