Use of a bipolar vessel sealing device in canine orchiectomy

Bipolar vessel sealing (BVS) devices are being used increasingly in veterinary medicine. The objective was to determine whether the use of a BVS device in prescrotal open orchiectomy of dogs reduced surgical time, postoperative pain and surgical site complications compared to ligation with suture. Fifty medium to large breed dogs admitted for elective castration were randomly assigned to either the ligation or BVS groups. Duration of surgery, pain score at postoperative 15 minutes, 1, 2, and 24 hours, and surgical site swelling and bruising scores at 24 hours were compared. Duration of surgery was shorter (P<0.001) in the BSV group (median 8.30; range 7.03 to 10.17 minutes) than the ligation group (median 10.18; range 7.47 to 12.33 minutes). There was a significant effect of age (r=0.458, P=0.021) and body weight (r=0.432, P=0.031) of the animal on the duration of surgery in the BVS group. Lower pain scores were observed in the BVS group at postoperative 15 minutes (P=0.001) and 1 hour (P=0.045). Pain scores were not different between groups at 2 hours and 24 hours (P>0.05). The surgical site swelling score was lower (P=0.034) in the BVS group (0.24 +/- 0.09) compared to the ligation group (0.72 +/- 0.17). A lower bruising score (P=0.015) was observed in the BVS group (0.44 +/- 0.13) than in the ligation group (1.16 +/- 0.22). The use of BVS method was associated with significantly shorter surgery times and lower postoperative pain and surgical site complications than traditional ligation technique in canine open orchiectomy.