Relationship between tissue tension and thermal diffusion to peripheral tissue using an energy device

Area of Science:

• Surgical Technology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Histopathology

Background:

• Energy devices (ED) are crucial in surgery but can cause collateral thermal damage.
• Understanding the impact of tissue tension on thermal diffusion is vital for safe surgical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between applied tissue tension and thermal diffusion to peripheral tissues.
• To evaluate how different energy devices (electric scalpel, ultrasonic, bipolar sealer) are affected by tissue tension regarding thermal spread.

Main Methods:

• Excision of porcine mesenteric tissue using three energy devices at varying tensions (0, 300, 600g).
• Monitoring excision time and thermal diffusion area using thermography.
• Histopathological examination to assess deep thermal denaturation.

Main Results:

• Excision time showed an inverse correlation with tissue tension for all tested energy devices.
• Higher tissue tension (600g) resulted in reduced thermal diffusion areas, particularly with the electric scalpel and bipolar sealer.
• Histopathology confirmed minimal deep thermal denaturation at 600g tension across all devices.

Conclusions:

• Adequate tissue tension is a critical factor in preventing thermal damage during surgical excisions.
• Applying sufficient tension (e.g., 600g) with energy devices can significantly mitigate risks of collateral thermal injury.
• These findings support optimizing tissue handling techniques to enhance surgical safety.