Efficacy of Diathermy on Healing Power of Cesarean Section Scar: A Randomized Control Trail

Abstract

n 1 October 1926, Dr Harvey Cushing performed the first operation using William T. Bovie’s electrosurgical device. Electrosurgery is the use of an alternating current through tissue resistance to raise tissue temperature to achieve vaporization or the combination of desiccation and protein coagulation. It is commonly used in dermatological, cardiac, plastic, ocular, spine, otorhinolaryngological, orthopedic, urological, neurosurgical and general surgery procedures. Previous studies showed encouraging results about using the vessel-sealing electrosurgical systems in abdominal hysterectomy, vaginal hysterectomy and in a wide scope of non-gynecologic surgical procedures. The reported complications for electrosurgery include burns at the patient plate, explosion and fire, surgical smoke, direct coupling, capacitive coupling and insulation failure. Multiple human studies have been performed illustrating the safety and efficacy of diathermy for dividing subcutaneous, muscle and fascial layers. As a result of its convenience and advantages with respect to haemostasis and sharps safety, However, its use for incising the epidermis and dermis of the skin remains controversial as concern exists that diathermy creates a thermal burn, resulting in a scar that is cosmetically inferior to that resulting from use of a scalpel.