Evaluation of Pain Following the Use of Scalpel Versus Electrosurgery for Skin Incisions in the Facial Regions

Abstract

Introduction: Postoperative pain presents a significant medical problem. It can create a considerable discomfort in the immediate postoperative period and thus increase patient’s morbidity. Multiple mechanisms are involved in its’ etiology, one of them being the method of tissue incision. The aim of this study is to compare the early postoperative pain following incision with two different methods, scalpel and electrosurgery in the facial regions. Material and methods: Eighty patients with both benign and malignant skin lesions in the facial regions undergoing surgery were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomized in two groups. In group A, comprising 40 patients, cold steel surgical scalpel №15 was used for the surgical procedure. Electrosurgical microneedle with 0.06mm tip radius and generator unit KLS Martin Electrosurgical Unit ME MB 2 set on cutting mode, power 12 W was used for performing the surgery in group B including the same number of patients. After the surgery patients were given analgesics on their demand. The total number of on demand analgesics requirements was calculated. The patients were also asked to note the oral analgesics they were taking after being released from the hospital. Results: Results of this study showed a statistically significant difference between the groups in the analgesics demand on the day of the operation (p=0.041). On the day of the operation 52.5% patients in the scalpel group and only 30% of the patents of the electrosurgery group received analgesics on demand. In all other analysed time points, the patients in the scalpel group received analgesics more often than the patients in the microneedle group, but with no statistically confirmed difference between the groups (p>0.05). Even more significant is the fact that patients treated with electrosurgery that needed analgesics, had significantly bigger excision area median 471 (rank 283-589) compared to the patients treated with the conventional method 289 (rank 177-432) (p=0.016). Conclusion: In accordance with previous studies our results suggested a significantly reduced postoperative pain in the electrosurgery group.