Objectives: To assess the safety and efficacy of electrosurgical bipolar vessel sealing during vaginal hysterectomy in morbidly obese patients. Material and methods:A total of 105 morbidly obese patients who underwent vaginal hysterectomy due to benign gynecologic pathologies between January 2010 and April 2017 were included in the study. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether conventional suture ligation technique (n = 64) or electrosurgical bipolar vessel sealing (n = 41) were used during vaginal hysterectomy. The surgical procedure was performed with the same technique in both study groups. The primary outcomes were duration of surgery and estimated blood loss. The secondary outcomes were intra-operative complications and post-operative complications. Results:The duration of surgery and estimated blood loss in the vessel sealing group was significantly less than in the conventional suture group (p < 0.05). No significant difference was present between the two groups in the rate of intra-operative and post-operative complications. Conclusions:The primary outcome of our study is that the EBVS system can be used equally and even more effectively in some aspects; and as safe an alternative approach to conventional suture ligation technique during vaginal hysterectomies performed specifically on morbidly obese patients with reduced operation times and blood loss, and without increasing the complication rates.

BackgroundAnimal studies have shown that nicotine affects the peristalsis of the ureter. The aim of the study is to analyze the effect of smoking on spontaneous passage of distal ureteral stones.Methods88 patients in whom distal ureteral stone below 10 mm diameter diagnosed with helical computerized tomography enhanced images were reviewed. Patients were grouped as either smokers (n:33) or non smokers (n:50). Follow-up for spontaneous passage of stones was limited with 4 weeks. Patients did not receive any additional medical treatment other than non-steroid anti inflamatory drugs only during painful renal colic episodes.Two groups were compared with the chi-square test in terms of passing the stone or not. Stone passage was confirmed with either the patient collecting the stone during urination or by helical CT.ResultsSmoking habits was present in 30(34%) patients and the frequency in both groups were similar (smokers: 23(76%) vs non-smokers: 46(79%)). Spontaneous passage of the stone was observed in 69(78%) patients. The two groups were comparable in terms of patien age, male to female ratio and stone size. Stone passage decreased as stone diameter increased. Total stone passage rates were similar in both groups (smokers: 76% vs. non-smokers: 79%) (p > 0.05). Passage of stones > 4 mm was observed in 46% and 67% of smokers and non-smokers respectively. However passage of stones with a diameter ≤ 4 mm were similar in both groups (smokers: 100% vs non-smokers: 92%) (p > 0.05).ConclusionSmoking has neither a favorable nor un-favorable effect on spontaneous passage of distal ureteral stones. However, spontaneous passage rates in patients with a stone diameter > 4 mm was lower in smokers. These results should be further confirmed with studies including larger numbers of patients.

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